assessment of readiness components for attracting medical tourists in the hospital industry: a survey study in western iran

Background: efficient utilization of hospital beds is a key priority for healthcare systems today. leveraging the potential of medical tourism can serve as a significant strategy in this regard.objectives: the purpose of this study was to assess the readiness of hospitals in ilam city to attract medical tourists.methods: this descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among educational and private hospitals in the center of ilam province in 2023. data were collected using a standard checklist designed to evaluate the international patient department (ipd), comprising 66 questions across five domains. the checklist was completed through observation, interviews, and a review of available documents. data analysis was conducted using frequency and percentage distribution tables, means, and standard deviations in excel software.results: the highest readiness score for obtaining a license to establish an international patient department was achieved by kowsar private hospital, with a score of 198. the lowest score was recorded at razi public hospital, with a score of 119. overall, none of the hospitals studied reached the cutoff score of 227 (65%).conclusions: the results indicate that all the hospitals studied are currently in an unacceptable state of readiness to attract medical tourists. establishing international patient departments should be a top priority for improving hospital efficiency and fostering the growth of medical tourism.