Medical tourism and a research about applications in Antalya: Example of Akdeniz University Hospital

SUMMARY MEDICAL TOURISM AND A RESEARCH ABOUT APPLICATIONS IN ANTALYA: EXAMPLE OF AKDENİZ UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL The purpose of this research is, applications of medical tourism in Antalya, that has been recently very important, to determine opinion of medical tourists and hospital staff who participared to the research in Akdeniz University Hospital and to put forth the potential of medical tourism research. In this research a survey has been prepared for the participaters. Foreign patients were given a survey that consists totaly 5 chapters and 30 questions and hospital staff were given a survey that consists 11 questions. Surveys have been made to the 52 patients who came to the hospital between November 2016- February 2017 and also to the 26 staff face to face. Acording to the findings, medical tourists chose Akdeniz universty Hospital not because of the intermediary establishments, because of the friend advices, internet and the doctors. Medical tourists defined that they are satisfied about staying, food and beverages, the service quality of the hospital staff. But education was not enough for the staff who look after to the foreign patients. In medical tourism, the decision process of foreign patients starts with the cure of the illness' search. And then decision is made to travel, destination country is choosen and persons or institutions are choosen who present this service. Antalya has a very high potential for medical tourism because of its tourism experience, services in medical tourism institutions, financially satisfaying and staff quality who services to the foreign patients. Keywords: Medical Tourist, Hospital Staff, Medical Tourism, Akdeniz University Hospital, Antalya.