FORMULATION OF STATE POLICY IN MEDICAL TOURISM AS A BASIS FOR IMPROVING STRATEGIC HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT IN UKRAINE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31470/2786-6246-2026-15-69-78Keywords:
public administration, strategic management, healthcare system, medical tourism, healthcare reform challenges, healthcare financingAbstract
Medical tourism is a complex phenomenon that integrates medical, tourism, logistics, insurance, and information services. Its development can enhance the competitiveness of the national healthcare system, stimulate investment, modernize infrastructure, and improve human resource policy. Prior to the full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian experience demonstrated positive dynamics: an increasing flow of foreign patients, the creation of clusters, and the development of public-private partnerships (PPP). However, the lack of centralized monitoring and systematic statistics limited management efficiency.
In the context of war, the demand structure for medical services has shifted. The importance of socio-humanitarian sectors is growing (rehabilitation of the wounded, psychological support, long-term restorative medicine), rendering medical tourism not only an economic tool but also a component of the recovery and resilience of the national healthcare system.
International experience (Germany, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Latvia, and Estonia) highlights several key principles of effective policy: standardization and accreditation of facilities, cross-sectoral coordination, a balance between service exports and the protection of national values, and systematic analytics and monitoring. For Ukraine, this necessitates the creation of centralized registries, integrated analytical platforms, PPP mechanisms, the development of human capital, and a system of social guarantees to ensure public access to services.
Despite individual successes and existing practices, the formulation of state policy in the field of medical tourism in Ukraine remains insufficiently explored. The absence of a unified strategic framework, centralized data collection, comprehensive legal regulation, and an impact assessment system limits the potential of medical tourism to enhance strategic healthcare management and the sustainable recovery of post-war infrastructure. This underscores the need for further research and for developing a holistic state policy that integrates the economic, clinical, and social aspects of the sector's development.
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