Evaluation of Satisfaction of Somali Patients Coming to Turkey for Medical Tourism

Aim:In this study, the satisfaction levels of Somali patients who came to Turkey for medical tourism were evaluated. Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, a questionnaire was used to collect data. The questionnaires were administered face-to-face by the researcher between July 20, 2021, and May 20, 2022, in hospitals operating in Istanbul and Ankara, which are the most preferred hospitals for Somali patients. Results:As a result of the study, it was determined that the majority of Somali patients coming to Turkey for medical tourism were male, had postgraduate education, had an average age of 35 years and an average monthly income of $921.39. It was determined that the majority of Somali patients who preferred Turkey mostly for IVF, urology and orthopedics treatments did not have health insurance and used intermediary organizations for their travels. The average satisfaction level of Somali patients is 3.30 in general. The top three reasons with the highest satisfaction average are "Quality of patient care", "Cheaper travel costs compared to other countries", "Frequent visits to Turkey for medical treatment", "Religious and cultural proximity", "Free/affordable travel tours after treatment", while the reasons with the lowest satisfaction average are "First class doctors, nurses and medical staff" and "High-tech medical equipment". Conclusion: It was determined that the patients were satisfied with the service they received, would choose Turkey again for their treatment and would recommend it to others.