Health Tourism Awareness Levels of Healthcare Professionals: Example of a City Hospital

AbstractAim: In the developing world, the healthcare tourism sector is experiencing significant growth, and the role of healthcare workers in this field is becoming an increasingly important research topic. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge and awareness levels of public healthcare personnel regarding healthcare tourism, identify existing gaps, and provide recommendations to address these gaps.Method: The research was conducted using a survey method and is descriptive and cross-sectional in nature. The sample of the study consists of 311 participants, and the data were analyzed using IBM-SPSS 25.Results: According to the results of the study, it was found that participants aged 45 and above had significantly higher awareness of healthcare tourism compared to other age groups (p<0,000). Additionally, participants working as doctors and in administrative positions had greater awareness of the effects of healthcare tourism compared to nurses, midwives, and other healthcare professions (p<0,01). Healthcare workers in outpatient clinics were found to have higher awareness regarding institutional competency (p<0,01) and image (p<0,01) compared to those working in other units.Conclusion: These findings indicate that in order for healthcare tourism to advance in the public sector, the knowledge and awareness of healthcare workers in this field must be increased.Keywords: Health, Health Tourism, Health Worker, Medical Tourism, Tourism