International Journal of Resistive Economics

International Journal of Resistive Economics

Designing a marketing model for health tourism with an emphasis on medical equipment

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Department of Business Management,Ker.C, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University,Kermanshah,Iran.
2 Department of Business Management,Ker.C.Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University,Kermanshah,Iran.
3 Department of Economics,Ker.C.Faculty of Humanities,Islamic Azad University,Kermanshah,Iran.
Abstract
This study aims to design a marketing model for health tourism with an emphasis on medical equipment, employing a mixed-methods (qualitative and quantitative) approach. In the qualitative phase, using meta-synthesis and Delphi methods, six main categories were identified: economic and policy factors, infrastructural conditions, quality of healthcare and support services, marketing and destination image, patient experience and satisfaction, and health tourism marketing development. In the quantitative phase, relationships between variables were analyzed using Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings indicate that economic and policy factors indirectly influence marketing development through infrastructure and service quality. Infrastructural conditions have a significant positive impact on service quality, patient experience, and marketing development, but their direct effect on destination image was not significant. Service quality indirectly affects marketing development through patient experience, while marketing and destination image directly enhance health tourism development. Based on the findings, recommendations include integrating policies and marketing, technology-driven branding, designing technology-based treatment packages, and developing multilingual applications to enhance patient experience. This model can position Iran as a competitive destination in health tourism.
Keywords

Volume 14, Issue 1
Winter 2026
Pages 42-60

  • Receive Date 15 December 2025
  • Revise Date 08 January 2026
  • Accept Date 27 January 2026