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IMTJ Academic Conference
'Medical tourism: Time for a check-up?'
25-26 May 2016
Madrid, Spain
Call for papers
Much research on 'medical tourism', 'international medical travel', 'cross-border healthcare' and 'transnational patient mobility' to date has focused on the hopes, motivations and experiences of mobile patients as well as on the desires, plans and expectations of the national destinations that attract and host them. By contrast, scant scholarly work has examined the concrete effects of this growing phenomenon on the diverse range of places, peoples, health and social systems, and industries in the areas where these patients habitually reside and, for medical travel destinations, in the particular local areas where these patients' (physical, symbolic and economic) presence can most be felt.
As a result, while more and more governmental and private-sector bodies in destinations are investing in the development of 'medical tourism', scant evidence is available to support, refute or complicate:
· Popularised notions about who is actually travelling for what kinds of medical attention and treatment;
· Claims that 'medical tourism' can serve as an engine for economic development in destinations or hinder/harm mobile patients' home and host health systems; and
· Arguments about who benefits and who does not from 'medical tourism' and 'transnational patient mobility' strategies that are shifting and evolving in line with emerging and changing market, social and political situations both within and beyond national borders.
This two-day conference therefore aims to bring together scholars from academic and research institutions from around the globe in order to critically examine and discuss existing and emerging national, sub-national, transnational and cross-sectoral strategies for the following:
· Promoting and dissuading 'medical tourism' and 'transnational patient mobility' in and between source and destination sites, in order to draw attention to the diversity of stakeholders, interests and scales involved;
· Evaluating and managing the range of real and expected impacts of (diverse stakeholders' investments in) 'medical tourism' and 'transnational patient mobility' in and between source and destination sites, in order to move beyond an unproductive circulation of often poorly-grounded claims and counter-claims; and
· Identifying and assessing the real-life needs, desires, expectations and practices of a broader range of foreign healthcare-users and -consumers, in order to recognise not only the great diversity of mobile patients (e.g., geographical origins, socio-economic and political status, etc.) but also other resident 'foreigners' (e.g., expatriates, lifestyle migrants, foreign students, etc.) who make use of 'medical tourism' resources.
We invite scholars to submit papers that critically engage with the above-mentioned issues. Papers focused on multi-scalar and cross-sectoral governance of 'medical tourism' and 'transnational patient mobility' initiatives, partnerships and networks as well as those examining how 'medical tourism' and 'transnational patient mobility' fit within broader development objectives (e.g., transition towards the creative economy, biotech development, regional and city place-branding, etc.) are especially welcome.
The Academic Conference (25-26 May 2016) will overlap with the International Medical Travel Journal's (IMTJ) Medical Travel Summit (24-25 May 2016), which brings together governmental and industry representatives from around the world who are involved in the development of medical tourism. This will provide a unique opportunity for conference participants to attend parts of the IMTJ Summit and actively foster and engage in much-needed cross-sectoral knowledge exchange and dialogue.
To submit a paper proposal, please send an email with a 250-word abstract and a 100-word bio via http://summit.imtj.com/academic-application/ before 11 December 2015. Scholars and researchers in any stage of their career (e.g., PhD students, etc.) are encouraged to share their studies. Successful applicants will be contacted by 8 January 2016 and will be expected to register for the conference by 12 February 2016 to secure their place in the May 2016 conference programme. For further information about the call for papers, please contact a member of the Academic Advisory Board:
· Meghann Ormond (Wageningen University, The Netherlands) meghann.ormond@wur.nl
· Neil Lunt (University of York, UK) neil.lunt@york.ac.uk
· John Connell (University of Sydney, Australia) john.connell@sydney.edu.au
Conference registration and fees
Information about conference registration can be found at http://summit.imtj.com/delegates. Academic rates are only available to attendees who are affiliated with an academic or research institution.
| 1-day access to the Academic Conference | EUR 200 |
| 2-day access to the Academic Conference | EUR 275 |
| 2-day access to the Academic Conference + 2-day access to the IMTJ Summit | EUR 400 |
Conference location
The Academic Conference and the IMTJ Summit will be held at Hotel Meliá Avenida América in Madrid, Spain. Information about the venue can be found at http://summit.imtj.com/venue/
Additional information
For further queries about conference logistics, please refer to http://summit.imtj.com/academic-overview/ or contact the Event Director, Sarah Ward, sarahward@imtj.com
Dr Meghann Ormond
Assistant Professor, Cultural Geography Chair Group, Wageningen University
Visiting address: Room B306, Gaia Building (Building 101), Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
Mailing address: Cultural Geography, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
