Medical Tourism in East Asia and the Pacific
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seeking to attract medical tourists make considerable efforts to improve their quality of care and establish their international credibility. The World Health Organization endorses the Joint Commission International (JCI), which provides quality assurance and safety control of health services for hospitals around the world. The JCI is an affiliate of the Joint Commission Resources, which accredits more than 90 percent of U.S. hospitals and is composed of a 16-member task force from all regions of the world to guarantee international applicability. Although the JCI accreditation standards are similar to those carried out by the Joint Commission in the United States, they are adapted to the local cultures, laws, and regulations of any specific country. To earn a three-year accreditation by the JCI, hospitals must fulfill 300 standards and 1,200 measurable elements observed through scores and surveys. At the end of the three-year period, hospitals must undergo a full on-site survey that uses a systems approach (tracer methodology) and is conducted by a team of doctors, nurses, and administrators from the JCI during a period of three to five days (Timmons 2007).1 By 2007, approximately 140 hospitals in 26 countries worldwide had been accredited by the JCI, including 30 hospitals from East Asia and the Pacific (table B.2). Although the JCI cannot fully guarantee the safety of patients seeking medical care abroad, the accreditation process does reduce risk through quality controls, enhancements of patient care, and safety precautions. In addition, JCI-accredited hospitals are required to involve patients in the care procedures and to communicate in a language that the patient can understand. Patient confidentiality and privacy are required, along
Table B.2 Number of Hospitals Accredited by the JCI in East Asia and the Pacific, 2008 Country
Number of accredited hospitals
China Hong Kong SAR, China Indonesia Korea, Rep. Malaysia Philippines Singapore Taiwan, China Thailand Source: Data from Joint Commission International.
3 2 1 1 1 2 13 3 4