Hospital prestige in medical tourism: empirical evidence from Malaysia

ABSTRACT

This study examines the relationships among perceived warmth, perceived competence, hospitals’ facilities, doctors’ expertise, interaction with other patients, hospital prestige, and Malaysia’s image as a destination for medical tourism. Data were collected from tourists in Malaysian private hospitals. The findings provide evidence that perceived warmth, perceived competence, hospitals’ facilities, and doctors’ expertise predict hospital prestige which affects Malaysia’s image as a destination for medical tourism. The moderating role of interaction with other patients is confirmed on certain relationships. The findings of this study extend the literature on hospital prestige in medical tourism and are useful for the management of hospitals.

KEYWORDS:

• Medical tourism
• hospital prestige
• perceived warmth
• perceived competence
• doctors’ medical expertise
• Malaysia

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.