Medical Tourism and Health Worker Migration in Developing Countries

Abstract

Medical tourism is a growing economic sector with a $272.70 billion market. In the last ten years, especially after the Pandemic, the health tourism market has increased for Estland with tourists from developed countries. Germans, French people, citizens from the US, and the UK are interested in medical services after the border with low-cost medical care, high technologies, and specialized health workers. This study analyzes factors pushing health migrants to travel abroad: working conditions, salary revenue, poor life conditions, lower education system, and desire to have opportunities to gain better experience, and specialization. This study shows the migration source countries, international agreements, and mutual arrangements that manage this phenomenon. The research methodology is a literature review. The study's goal is to analyze the situation of migration health workers from Romania and the Republic of Moldova and to respond to questions: how this phenomenon affects the public healthcare sector, what is their desire, and is this a national or international problem? The globalization era is an opportunity for health workers to choose quickly actual job requirements, obtain a higher work position, and receive professional reviews and skills evaluation. Artificial intelligence, Virtual reality, and the Metaverse are the instruments proposed to resolve this phenomenon by the government. The migration of healthcare workers is not just an economic strategy for authorities. World Health Organization proposes a reform for Romania and the Republic of Moldova according to educational and social instruments. Today this phenomenon is influenced by refugees from Ukraine. DOI: https://doi.org/10.53486/cike2023.27; UDC: 331.556.4:614.2(1-773); JEL: I11, I12, I18, L83