The effect of the communication language level between health tourists applying to state and private hospitals and health personnel on health tourism

Health tourism is defined as traveling to a different location from one's place of residence for a planned period of time, with the aim of maintaining current health or improving a medical condition. Communication between healthcare personnel and patients is a critical factor in the diagnosis, treatment, and recovery process. At the same time, positive communication plays a significant role in the formation of a trust bond between the patient and the hospital or doctor. Communication lies at the core of health tourism. Communication problems may arise between healthcare personnel and health tourists. These issues are often caused by language barriers. To address these communication problems, patients' relatives and interpreters may be consulted. However, it is a risky practice as the interpreter's personal interpretation may influence the treatment process. The study examined the impact of the language proficiency level of communication between health tourists and healthcare personnel in public and private hospitals on health tourism. In the data collection process for the examined topic, two separate surveys were used. One of these surveys was administered to health tourists visiting public and private hospitals, while the other was applied to healthcare personnel working in private and public hospitals. The findings of this study revealed that communication between health tourists and healthcare personnel in both public and private hospitals is crucial in the health tourism process. Issues related to language and communication proficiency were observed at similar rates in both types of hospitals, with the foreign language barrier identified as a significant obstacle to the delivery of healthcare services. In this context, although interpreter support is generally preferred, it has been emphasized that this method carries various risks in the treatment process and cannot replace direct communication. The research findings indicate that healthcare personnel's communication skills have a direct impact on health tourists' satisfaction and trust in the treatment process. To enhance the sustainability and quality of health tourism, it is essential to expand programs aimed at improving healthcare personnel's health tourism training and foreign language skills. In this regard, addressing communication gaps will significantly contribute to meeting patients' expectations from healthcare services and to the international competitiveness of health tourism.