The number of individuals traveling abroad is increasing annually. The rising popularity of medical travel and the absence of clear minimum quality requirements in this area urgently call for the development of international standards to ensure good practice and patient safety. The aim of this study is to identify the key domains in medical travel where quality standards should be established. Drawing from the evidence-based OECD framework and an extensive literature review, this study proposes three critical areas for consideration: minimum standards of health-care facilities and third-party agencies, financial responsibility, and patient centeredness. Several cultural challenges have been introduced that may pose a barrier to development of the guidelines and should be taken into consideration. Establishing international quality standards in medical travel enhances benefits to patients and providers, which is an urgent necessity given the rapid growth in this industry.

Behavioural Science Institute Radboud University Nijmegen Nijmegen Netherlands

Department of Politics and International Relations University of Oxford Oxford UK

Department of Psychology Faculty of Arts Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic

Engineering Design Centre University of Cambridge Cambridge UK

Engineering Design Centre University of Cambridge Cambridge UK; Policy Research Group Department of Psychology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK

Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology University of Glasgow Glasgow UK

Mary Immaculate College Limerick Ireland

The Policy Institute King's College London London UK

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