Selec 2023

Volume: 8 Issues: 48 [June, 2023] pp.
200 - 212
International Journal of Accounting, Finance and Business (IJAFB)
eISSN: 0128-1844
Journal website: www.ijafb.com
DOI: 10.55573/IJAFB.084817
WHY WORD-OF-MOUTH IS IMPORTANT FOR MEDICAL

TOURISM? A QUALITATIVE STUDY
Ching Ying Tian1
Seow Ai Na2*
Lam Siew Yong3
1Faculty of Business and Finance, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia, (Email: lauraching@1utar.my)
2*Faculty of Business and Finance, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia, (Email: seowan@utar.edu.my)
3Faculty of Business and Finance, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia, (Email: lamsy@utar.edu.my)
*Corresponding Author: seowan@utar.edu.my
Article history To cite this document:

Received date : 23-5-2023 Ching, Seow & Lam (2023). Why Word-of-Mouth Is
Revised date : 24-5-2023 Important for Medical Tourism? A Qualitative Study.
Accepted date : 13-7-2023 International Journal of Accounting, Finance and
Published date : 14-7-2023 Business (IJAFB), 8 (48), 200 - 212.
___________________________________________________________________________
Abstract: Medical tourists make decisions for medical services abroad partly based on their
perceptions through word-of-mouth. The information about a travel destination affects both the
actual travel experience and post-travel behaviour. As a result, word-of-mouth marketing
(WOM) is frequently cited as one of the most effective ways of advertising in this industry. Still,
there is a need to have more research that explores the reasons behind these medical tourists'
referrals. This qualitative study seeks to fill this research gap by examining what triggers
medical tourists' word-of-mouth generation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with
five respondents with medical treatment experience from one of the medical tourism-certified
hospitals in Malaysia. The thematic analysis method was used to analyse the data. Fifteen
reasons were identified that triggered their word-of-mouth and were divided into four elements:
treatment quality, quality of interaction, quality of processes, and the overall service and
facilities of the hospital. It was found that medical tourists who are satisfied with the medical
services value of the hospital abroad will spread word-of-mouth and recommend it to others.
This research offers practical standpoints on the creation of word-of-mouth in the context of
medical tourism. It suggests ways for industry stakeholders to gain from this effective
promotional strategy.
Keywords: Medical Tourism, Word-of-Mouth, Satisfaction, Medical Service Quality

___________________________________________________________________________
Introduction
With the development of communication technology and a corresponding decrease in
informational barriers, medical tourism has attracted the attention of many stakeholders
worldwide, including the media and academia (Abdul-Rahman et al., 2023; Farrukh et al.,
2020). Farrukh et al. (2020) defines medical tourism as seeking medical treatment abroad or
travelling for medical care. It has experienced significant growth worldwide and has developed
into one of the most lucrative fields (Pagan & Horsfall, 2020). In 2022, the global medical
tourism industry was valued at USD 11.7 billion (Market Us., 2023). As a result, many
developing countries in Southeast Asia has emerged as attractive medical tourism destination,
offering high-quality healthcare and facilities (Farrukh et al., 2020). Malaysia, in particular, has
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Volume: 8 Issues: 48 [June, 2023] pp. 200 - 212
eISSN: 0128-1844
DOI: 10.55573/IJAFB.084817
become one of the leading medical tourism destinations (Malaysia remains emerging hotspot
in medical tourism, 2022). The country’s healthcare system is internationally renowned, with
numerous private hospitals and medical institutions providing excellent healthcare services at
more affordable prices than other developed countries (Zain et al., 2022). Malaysia ranks sixth
in the world for its healthcare system, considering factors such as medical service quality,
affordability, and the availability of medical professionals (International Living, 2021).
The central government of Malaysia and related agencies have committed to promote medical
tourism as a significant tourism destination. Medical tourists have increased from 643,000 in
2011 to 1.22 million in 2019 (Healthcare Traveller Statistics, 2021). This growth resulted in
RM1.7 billion in medical travel revenue in 2019, compared to RM527 million in 2011
(Healthcare Traveller Statistics, 2021). Apart from the increasing demand for fertility
treatments, cosmetic surgery, and rehabilitation services, Malaysia attracts medical tourists for
specialized fields such as cardiology, orthopaedics, oncology, neurology, and dentistry services
(Healthcare Traveller Statistics, 2021). Most medical tourists in Malaysia are from
neighbouring countries. Indonesia accounts for 60% to 70% of the travellers, followed by other
Middle Eastern nations, India, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom
(Klijs et al., 2016; Zain et al., 2022). Such trends and the economic advantages of medical
tourism also prompted neighbouring countries like Singapore and Thailand to promote medical
tourism (Ebrahim & Ganguli, 2019). Thus, the increasing competition among medical service
providers and inherent risks associated with medical tourism have affected medical tourists’
travel decisions and attitudes (Abdul-Rahman et al., 2023).
Many potential medical tourists invest considerable time in researching and analysing their
choices in receiving high-quality care from reputable hospitals and skilled medical
professionals (Abdul-Rahman et al., 2023; De La Hoz-Correa & Muñoz-Leiva, 2019; Farrukh
et al., 2020). The prevalence of online platforms has made them the primary source of
information for medical tourists due to the geographical distance (De La Hoz-Correa & Muñoz-
Leiva, 2019). In online healthcare community, potential medical tourists rely on medical
patients’ word-of-mouth and their previous medical treatments’ outcome to determine on which
hospitals and doctors to visit (Gu et al., 2018). This word-of-mouth requires information from
current medical tourists in the form of positive, negative and neutral statements (Tariyal et al.,
2023).
While the relevance of information sources, the primary of word-of-mouth is widely accepted,
limited studies have delved into the factors that stimulate medical tourists to engage in word-
of-mouth communication (Taheri et al., 2021; Wardi et al., 2018). Word-of-mouth has been
defined as “informal communications directed at other consumers about the ownership, usage,
or characteristics of particular goods and services” (Wang et al., 2023, p. 3). The cognitive,
affective, and interactive perspectives of word-of-mouth provide great potential for marketing
development (Wang et al., 2023). Further, with the advent of technology, electronic word-of-
mouth (eWOM) provides medical tourists a platform to share their experiences about medical
tourism destinations through review sites, online forums and blogs (Farrukh et al., 2020). The
word-of-mouth behaviour of patients may be grounded in their perception of medical facilities
as it hinges upon their satisfaction with the quality of medical service (Rungklin et al., 2023).
For hospitals that foster word-of-mouth promotion, the marketers must comprehensively
understand the factors influencing patient satisfaction and push for the right strategies
(Rungklin et al., 2023).
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The Expectation Confirmation Theory (ECT) suggests that patients will evaluate their level of
satisfaction by comparing their actual experiences with the medical services based on their
initial expectations (Mahmud et al., 2020; Oliver, 1980). It highlights the significance of the
quality of medical service in influencing the satisfaction of medical tourists (Rungklin et al.,
2023). As a result, the assessment and evaluation of medical service quality from the
perspective of medical tourists have emerged as a central focus in developing medical tourism
destinations. Studies have shown the substantial impact of both face-to-face and online
communications on medical tourists' perception of medical service quality, attitudes, and their
decision to travel to specific destinations (Abubakar & Ilkan, 2016; Abubakar et al., 2017;
Ahani et al., 2021; Farrukh et al., 2020). Prior research has shown that the expectations of
medical tourists regarding the quality of medical services received have significantly influenced
their satisfaction and their likelihood to recommend the services to others (Han & Hyun, 2015;
Mahmud et al., 2021; Rahman et al., 2023; Rungklin et al., 2023). By applying ECT to medical
tourism, medical tourists with high expectations may be more critical of any shortcomings in
their care, leading to negative word-of-mouth referrals. In contrast, medical tourists with lower
expectations may be more likely to be satisfied with the quality of medical service and may
recommend the service to others. Since hospitals provide services person-to-person, positive
word-of-mouth communication can accelerate business growth, whereas negative word-of-
mouth can have detrimental effects. Based on the discussion above, this study aims to examine
the effect of medical service quality on medical tourists’ satisfaction and their subsequent
influence on word-of-mouth generation for medical tourism in Malaysia. The research
questions of this study are shown as follows:
1. What are the perceptions of medical tourists towards their medical service quality?
2. Whether medical tourists would generate word-of-mouth after experiencing their
medical service?
Research Methodology
This study employed qualitative methodology in collecting information focusing only on
patients with out-patient or in-patient medical treatment experience from one of the medical
tourism-certified hospitals in Malaysia. A set of short questionnaires was prepared to guide the
interviews. The purpose was to determine whether the respondents willing to trigger word-of-
mouth behaviour. The interview questions were open-ended and mainly focused on the issues
surrounding medical service quality, patients’ satisfaction level and their word-of-mouth
behaviour. Each interview lasted about 30 to 45 minutes. The respondents were chosen based
on their availability and willingness to participate in the interview sessions. A letter of consent
with a brief description of the research was emailed to hospitals before approaching the
respondents for interview. Before the interview started, the respondents were informed about
the purpose of this study. The personal information of the respondents is fully protected, and
the collected data was assured for research purposes only. The collected data was organised and
categorised into codes. Thematic analysis was then performed on the transcribed and verified
interview data to classify them into categories and themes.
Results
Five respondents were interviewed in this study, with their ages ranging from 20 to 40 years
old. Table 1 lists the demographic profile of the respondents. All the respondents have out-
patient or in-patient medical treatment experience from one of the medical tourism-certified
hospitals. Based on the findings, as all the respondents identified similar factors, thus the
collected data were combined for further analysis.
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Table 1: Demographic profile of the respondents

Demographic Characteristic Frequency
Gender
Male 3
Female 2
Age Group
20-30 years old 4
31-40 years old 1
More than 41 years old 0
Frequency of healthcare utilisation in last 6 months
Visited once only 3
2-4 times 2
More than 5 times 0
The interview responses yielded four major themes: treatment quality, quality of interaction,
quality of processes, and overall service quality and facilities.
Treatment Quality
Treatment quality encompasses various aspects that collectively evaluate the effectiveness and
appropriateness of the treatment provided to medical tourists, including the accuracy of medical
diagnoses and the fulfilment of medical tourists’ healthcare needs (Ajarmah et al., 2017). It is
assessed through multiple indicators, such as the overall sense of well-being experienced by
patients, the hospital's capacity to effectively address medical tourists’ conditions, and the
performance of healthcare services (Ajarmah et al., 2017). Evaluating treatment quality is
essential for ensuring optimal medical tourists’ outcomes and satisfaction with the care received
(Berlianto, 2022). The findings indicated that treatment quality is crucial in the healthcare
sector. When asked about treatment quality, most respondents gave positive feedback. Below
are some of the key responses:
"I think the treatment quality of the hospital I visited is quite good. This is because
the doctor can cure my illness in the shortest time, and I only have to go back to the
hospital once for follow-up”
(Respondent A)
“Treatment quality was good as they are careful to check everything when
examining and treating me. The practitioner focuses on achieving the goals for my
treatment”
(Respondent B)
“In my opinion, the treatment quality of the hospital is good”

(Respondent C)
“The treatment quality of this hospital meets my expectation”

(Respondent D)
“The treatment quality is great. I spent less money to get better treatment in this
hospital. This hospital treated me the way I expected”
(Respondent E)
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Besides that, the issues regarding the drugs and medical equipment of the hospital used for
treating the patients were also identified. Most of the patients believe that the quality of the
drugs used by the hospital is considered good and effective. This is because its medicinal effects
are effective in a short period. As for medical equipment, the majority of the respondents
provided positive feedback. However, some respondents claimed that the hospital's medical
equipment needs advancement.
“I think that the quality of the drugs of the hospital used to treat the patients is
considered good and powerful because its medicinal effect took effect in a short
time. However, I think the medical equipment is considered moderate in quality
because some are outdated. This is because when I was doing MRI screening, the
equipment seemed very old. Nevertheless, the medical equipment in their operation
room is quite new and up-to-date”
(Respondent A)
“Available modern and up-to-date equipment such as MRI which help my doctor
more accurately diagnose my health-related issue”
(Respondent B)
“The pain medication managed my breakthrough pain well”

(Respondent B)
“The quality of the drugs and the medical equipment are good and effective”
(Respondent C)
“I believe the hospital chooses the best quality drugs and equipment used for their
patients with the uphold of their responsibility”
(Respondent D)
“I would say that the medicine this hospital gives is much heavier. The doctor's
medicine in this hospital could easily ease my sickness within a few days. Overall,
I am ok with the quality of drugs and medical equipment in this hospital”
(Respondent E)
Quality of Interaction
Past study has revealed that the communication between patients and healthcare providers plays
a pivotal role in the process of healthcare consumption (Ozcelik & Burnaz, 2019). The
communication skills exhibited by medical and paramedical staff serve as a significant
determinant of patient satisfaction, reflecting the professionalism of healthcare providers
(AlOmari, 2022). Furthermore, when patients are satisfied during clinical treatment, they are
more likely to spread word-of-mouth (AlOmari, 2022). In this study, the quality of interaction
between patients and medical staff was found to be satisfactory. The respondents were asked to
evaluate the performance of the medical staff based on their experiences. Most of the
respondents think that the medical staff are helpful and friendly. Some of the responses are
provided below:
“The quality of the staff’s performance in this hospital is considered good, and I
will give 5 stars to them. This is because they treat me patiently, and the doctor also
explained in detail about my health conditions with good manners”
(Respondent A)
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“Overall is good. The practitioner and other behavioural health practitioners

worked as a team to coordinate my care. They treated me in a very friendly and
courteous manner. Besides, they respected my privacy during my hospitalisation”
(Respondent B)
“The staff is friendly and helpful, especially during the discharge procedure
(Respondent C)
Staffs were lovely, friendly and well trained”

(Respondent D)
I would feel that the staff of this hospital has better performance, as they were
trained professionally by the medical institution. They are friendly and welcoming
as well
(Respondent E)
In addition, some respondents mentioned that the medical staff in the hospital was responsive
to patients’ questions and needs. Patients are also well informed on any risks associated with
the procedures or tests that are being provided. Further, the medical staff also explained
adequate information on patients' health-related problems. Some of the related responses are
provided below:
“During my hospitalization, I was informed on how the medication worked and
possible side effects in a manner I understood”
(Respondent B)
“The services were good, as the staff was responsive to my questions and concern.
For any procedures or tests that were recommended to me related to my health
issue, I was informed of any risks associated with the procedure. I was provided as
much information as I needed”
(Respondent C)
“They patiently explained my health-related problems and treatments”

(Respondent D)
Quality of Processes
The concept of quality of processes in healthcare pertains to the effective implementation of
healthcare procedures in practice (Zineldin, 2006). It encompasses various aspects, such as the
promptness with which patients are attended to and the efficiency with which healthcare
procedures are carried out by the staff (Zineldin, 2006). Assessing and optimizing the quality
of processes is essential for ensuring streamlined and timely healthcare delivery, leading to
improved patient experiences and outcomes (Zineldin, 2006). Most respondents claimed that
the waiting time for medication and billing is long. Some respondents also commented that
handling patient enquiries and registration procedures should be further improved. The meals
provided for patients during hospitalisation and internet connectivity were also highlighted.
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“I think that the management of this hospital should consider adding more counters
for discharge. This can help the patients complete the discharge procedures quickly
and then go home and rest as soon as possible. In addition, this will also help the
hospital to reduce in receiving the complaint from patients about the issues of
waiting for discharge procedures. During my last visit to this hospital, I spent about
55 minutes settling the discharge procedures”
(Respondent A)
“Waiting time for medication should be improved. I spent a long time waiting to
see the doctor”
(Respondent B)
“In my opinion, the meals at the hospital can be improved by adding more options
for the dishes”
(Respondent C)
“The procedures in the front desk counter can be further improved in efficiency
handling the incoming patients. It should have sufficient front desk staff to serve the
patients inquiry and registration process to prevent long waiting queue from
happening”
(Respondent D)
“Enhance the Wi-Fi coverage as patients or family members will get bored while
taking care of patients in the ward”
(Respondent E)
Overall Service Quality and Facilities

A key aspect in shaping patients' perceptions and experiences lies in the creation of a
comfortable and pleasant ambient environment within hospitals (AlOmari, 2022). Supporting
this notion, Swan et al. (2003) observed that aesthetically pleasing hospital rooms possess the
potential to positively influence patient evaluations. Patients generally exhibit a preference for
visually appealing rooms and tend to provide more favorable assessments compared to standard
rooms. Undoubtedly, the significance of maintaining clean and disinfected hospital rooms
cannot be overstated, as it plays a pivotal role in mitigating healthcare-associated infections
(HAI). Deshwal et al. (2014) identified clinic facilities as the primary area of dissatisfaction
among respondents. Specifically, almost half of the participants perceived the medical
equipment to be outdated, and there was an inadequate availability of beds, leaving a negative
impression. The respondents were also asked to provide their opinions on overall service quality
and facilities provided by the hospital. Most respondents stated that the hospital's overall service
quality and facilities are good. Some responses to this question are provided as follows:
“The overall services are quite good. The facilities of this hospital are acceptable
to me because they are constantly improving the facilities”
(Respondent A)
“The facilities are good. For example, the payment facilities are easy and flexible”
(Respondent B)
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“The overall services are satisfied, and the hospital facilities are in good condition.
In addition, the environment is clean, and I felt comfortable during my
hospitalisation”
(Respondent C)
“Great overall”
(Respondent D)
“On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate it at 8. I am satisfied with this hospital's overall
services and facilities”
(Respondent E)
At the end of the interview session, all the respondents were asked to state their satisfaction
level and whether they would recommend the hospital they had visited their friends or family.
All the respondents were satisfied with the quality of the hospital's service and will recommend
the hospital they had visited their friends or family when necessary.
“I am very satisfied with this hospital's medical service and care. I will give a rate
of 8/10 to this hospital. Besides, I will recommend this hospital to my friends and
family members. This is because the services provided by this hospital are quite
good. Moreover, the doctors and staffs in this hospital are very professional and
provided me good medical services”
(Respondent A)
“I am very satisfied with the medical services and care received in this hospital. I
felt cared for during my hospitalisation. The medical care I have received is just
about perfect. I recommend this hospital because I had a great experience there.
This is because the services provided to me during my hospitalisation met my needs
related to my visit”
(Respondent B)
“Overall, I'm satisfied with the doctor and nurses' service. They were very friendly
and helpful; the nurses gave me the medicines to consume on time. I will
recommend my friends and family to this hospital because it is accessible by public
transport, and the doctors and nurses are very friendly”
(Respondent C)
“I am very satisfied with the medical service and care in this hospital. I will
definitely recommend this hospital to my friends and family. The hospital provides
great services”
(Respondent D)
“Very satisfied with the money I spent in this hospital; I could get a private room
with a private toilet. Most likely to recommend friends and friendly, as the hospital
location is easily accessible and the treatment price is relatively much lower and
affordable”
(Respondent E)
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Discussion
In this study, the results were identical among all the respondents. It was found that patients
who are satisfied with the service quality will be more likely to engage in word-of-mouth
generation. Hence, providing patients with high-quality services is necessary as their
satisfaction level will subsequently affect their engagement in word-of-mouth generation. The
results show that all the respondents are satisfied with the treatment quality received in the
hospital. This finding is similar to Sarwar (2014). Treatment quality included the quality of
drugs and medical equipment used in hospitals and the skills to conduct tests. Based on the
findings, respondents are concerned with the treatment quality of the hospital because it will
influence the speed at which they recover from illness. Hence, the hospital must be equipped
with the latest medical equipment and provide medical tourists with high-quality drugs,
satisfying them and motivating them to generate word-of-mouth.
Besides, the findings of this study also indicated that the respondents are satisfied with the
quality of interaction between themselves and the hospital's medical staff. This finding is
consistent with Ajarmah, Hashem, and Swies (2017). Quality of interaction refers to the quality
of conveying and exchanging information (Ajarmah et al., 2017). It is the basis of the decision
between the patient and the medical service provider. Quality of interaction included the time
the medical staff took to understand patients' needs and the adequacy of explanation about
patients' health-related problems (Ajarmah et al., 2017). It is essential for the medical staff to
understand the need of the patients, as it improves their sense of safety and respect because
patients are dissatisfied with being uninformed. Thus, the communication skills of the medical
staff need to be trained.
In terms of the quality of the hospital's processes, much improvement is needed to satisfy
patients. The majority of the patients are less satisfied with the quality of the hospital's
processes. This finding is consistent with Sarwar (2014) and Abdullah, Cheah, Mulia, Bali, and
Fatah (2019). Quality of processes refers to how the hospital delivers its services (Zineldin,
2006). Based on this study's findings, the staff shortage has led to a decline in the efficiency of
service delivery and caused patients to wait longer for medication. This situation also causes
the satisfaction level of patients to decrease. Hence, the hospital management should ensure
sufficient staff to serve the patients and prevent long waiting queues from happening. Further,
the patients' suggestions and opinions should be considered to improve the hospitals' services.
This can help the hospitals to enhance the satisfaction level of the patients, which in turn,
encourages the patients' revisit intention and willingness to make a recommendation.
Implications
Theoretical Implications
From a theoretical standpoint, this qualitative study on the importance of word-of-mouth
marketing in medical tourism contributes to the existing body of knowledge in several ways. It
provides insights into the factors influencing medical tourists' decisions to engage in word-of-
mouth marketing, such as their perception of medical service quality, satisfaction levels, and
overall experience. This study indicates that treatment quality, quality of interaction, quality of
processes, and overall service quality and facilities are some of the important aspects to focus
on when examining patient satisfaction and their word-of-mouth behaviour. It was found that
these aspects of service quality influence patient satisfaction, which in turn influences their
engagement in word-of-mouth generation.
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By exploring these factors, this study provides valuable insights into consumer behaviour,
decision-making processes, and the role of social influence. The findings of this study can help
refine and expand existing theories in marketing and consumer psychology, offering a deeper
understanding of the dynamics of word-of-mouth marketing in the medical tourism industry.
Hence, researchers or scholars must consider different service quality aspects cautiously since
it will further influence patient satisfaction and word-of-mouth behaviour.
Practical Implications
From the managerial perspective, in view of the significance of service quality, hospital
management is recommended to recognise patient needs. It should focus on providing a high
level of medical services. Various aspects of service quality, such as treatment quality, quality
of interaction, quality of processes, and overall service quality and facilities, should be
considered when providing a high level of medical services. This is because failing to identify
the needs of the patient could result in degrading the hospital's reputation, creating more
dissatisfied patients.
Furthermore, building improvement policies through continuous customer feedback will help
improve service facilities and overall quality. Considering patients' feedback would help
redesign the medical service delivery processes to increase the medical service quality. Besides,
the hospitals should increase facilities such as reducing waiting time to see the doctor,
enhancing internet connectivity, and providing more meal selections as many patients consider
these as needed services. Thus, ensuring these will increase patient satisfaction in the future and
motivate them to generate word-of-mouth.
Lastly, this study can provide policymakers and government agencies such as the Malaysia
Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) with valuable insights
into the potential influence of medical tourists on the success and growth of medical tourism in
their regions. This information can aid in making policy decisions that promote better medical
services, ensure medical tourists' safety, and create a favourable environment for medical
tourism. The findings of this study contribute to the development of practical approaches and
policies that motivate medical tourists to engage in positive word-of-mouth. In addition, the
policy maker and government agency can opt to set a new accreditation scale for hospitals
involved with medical tourism. It is recommended that the accreditation should be designed
based on the factors that may make a difference towards the quality of care. With this standard
of accreditation, this scenario will enhance patients' confidence towards the hospital.
Conclusion
Word-of-mouth generation is essential in ensuring a firm's sustainability in the industry. This
is particularly true and significant for the medical service providers in the medical tourism
industry. The government and medical service providers must employ strategic methods to
motivate patients' recommendations through word-of-mouth. To remain competitive and
sustainable in this industry, it is critical for the government and medical service providers to
understand medical tourists' expectations and perceptions.
The study examines the effects of service quality on satisfaction and the subsequent influence
on word-of-mouth generation for medical tourism in Malaysia. This study highlighted an urgent
need for quality improvement to retain customers in the long run. It was discovered that
treatment quality, quality of interaction, quality of processes, and overall service quality and
facilities would affect patients in terms of their satisfaction, which in turn will affect their word-
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of-mouth generation. Therefore, hospitals that participate in medical tourism should be more
careful in promoting medical services and ensure that the patients get their needed services and
are satisfied, which will engage in word-of-mouth generation.
Lastly, medical tourism experts can use this study's findings, identify the areas for
improvement, and implement strategies to enhance the medical tourists' experience. The
findings also assist in developing targeted marketing campaigns and communication strategies
that capitalise on positive word-of-mouth. In turn, it can attract more potential medical tourists
and strengthen the reputation as well as the competitiveness of medical tourism destinations.
Acknowledgement
This research has been carried out as a partial fulfilment of the Research Scholarship Scheme
under the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme Project No. FRGS/1/2019/SS01/UTAR/02/2
provided by the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia.
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Volume: 8 Issues: 48 [June, 2023] pp.

WHY WORD-OF-MOUTH IS IMPORTANT FOR MEDICAL

Article history To cite this document:

Keywords: Medical Tourism, Word-of-Mouth, Satisfaction, Medical Service Quality

Table 1: Demographic profile of the respondents

“In my opinion, the treatment quality of the hospital is good”

“The treatment quality of this hospital meets my expectation”

“The pain medication managed my breakthrough pain well”

“Overall is good. The practitioner and other behavioural health practitioners

Staffs were lovely, friendly and well trained”

“They patiently explained my health-related problems and treatments”

Overall Service Quality and Facilities

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