Assessment of the Relationship between Hospital’s Capabilities and Medical Tourism Development in Yazd City in 2018

Introduction: Medical tourism, as a growing industry, has provided opportunities for gaining competitive advantages for health care organizations in Yazd province. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between hospital capabilities and medical tourism development in Yazd city in 2018. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 150 nurses and doctors in Yazd hospitals in 2018. The data collection tool was a valid and reliable 25-item questionnaire consisting of the demographic and hospital capabilities questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using SPSS by running Pearson correlation test, linear regression, independent t-test, and ANOVA. : The results showed that the highest and lowest mean and standard deviations were related to the cost of services (3.88 ± 0.98) and equipment (3.50±0.63), respectively. Moreover, according to the multiple linear regression, equipment had the highest positive and significant impact on the development of medical tourism (β = 0.498). Conclusion: Yazd province is considered as a medical tourist attraction pole in south of Iran; therefore, special conditions should be provided for the development of medical tourism in this province. As a result, it is necessary to improve the quality of medical services at the provincial hospitals by taking measures such as providing welfare facilities for patients and their entourage, training the hospitals' personnel, establishing a brand for the province in the field of treatment.