Prashant Kumar Yadav, Anil Kumar Tamta

Retrospective Overview of Medical Tourism and Related Research: A Bibliometric Analysis

Introduction

Retrospective overview of medical tourism and related research: a bibliometric analysis. Explore a bibliometric analysis of medical tourism research, mapping global trends, collaborations, and the impact of COVID-19. Essential for policymakers and researchers.

Abstract

The study presents a comprehensive knowledge mapping and bibliometric analysis of medical tourism research to understand global trends and directions. The exponential growth in medical tourism is driven by factors such as cost savings, access to specialised treatments, and reduced waiting times. The bibliometric analysis of research trends was conducted using CiteSpace 6.3. R1 and VOSviewer 1.6.20 software. The extracted dataset from the Scopus database includes 630 articles. The analysis highlighted significant international collaborations, with the United States, India, and Malaysia as prominent contributors. The publications initially rose in 2021, due to increased research funding and academic interest sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a decline, indicating a stabilisation or shift in research priorities. The theoretical implications of this research paper include highlighting the global collaboration and contributions of different countries to medical tourism research, understanding the impact of global events like the COVID-19 pandemic on research trends, and identifying emerging themes and patterns that can guide future studies and policy-making in the field. The findings have substantial practical implications for policymakers, healthcare providers, and researchers.

Review

This paper, "Retrospective Overview of Medical Tourism and Related Research: A Bibliometric Analysis," offers a timely and relevant examination of the evolving field of medical tourism research. The authors set out to provide a comprehensive knowledge mapping and bibliometric analysis, utilizing robust tools such as CiteSpace 6.3. R1 and VOSviewer 1.6.20 on a substantial dataset of 630 articles extracted from the Scopus database. The study's objective to understand global trends and research directions in this exponentially growing sector, driven by factors like cost savings and access to specialized treatments, is well-articulated, promising valuable insights into a complex and multidisciplinary area. The analysis successfully identifies several significant trends and contributions within the medical tourism research landscape. Key findings include the identification of the United States, India, and Malaysia as prominent contributors, alongside a notable emphasis on international collaborations. Particularly interesting is the observation of a surge in publications in 2021, attributed to increased research funding and academic interest spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a subsequent decline indicating a stabilization or shift in research priorities. These insights offer crucial theoretical implications by highlighting the global nature of research, the impact of major global events, and the identification of nascent themes that can inform future scholarly endeavors. The practical implications of this research are substantial, extending to policymakers, healthcare providers, and researchers alike. By delineating the geographical distribution of research efforts and pinpointing the drivers behind fluctuating publication trends, the study provides a solid foundation for strategic planning and resource allocation. The comprehensive overview presented herein serves as an excellent reference point, guiding future studies towards under-researched areas and informing evidence-based policy-making in the dynamic field of medical tourism. This paper therefore makes a significant contribution by synthesizing existing knowledge and charting potential future trajectories for this vital sector.

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