My colleague, Arlen Myers recently wrote in his blog, “When will medical tourism get real traction?” As always, Dr. Myers makes thoughtful observations and suggestions. The typical dynamics of market lifecycles suggests that for significant adoption (“traction”), a new product or service must “cross the chasm” between early adoption and mainstream acceptance.
This market lifecycle theory assumes that markets are somewhat homogenous; customers and/or consumers have similar motivations, expectations, objections, and value perceptions.
In the markets for cross-border trade in wellness, health & medical services, nothing could be further from the truth. These are highly fragmented markets that are also specifically regionalized.
For example, a young person seeking hair transplant services in Türkiye is profoundly different from parents seeking cancer treatment for their 10-year-old child in Spain. These are two profoundly different markets, and the proof of this is that the motivations, obstacles, and decisions made by these “consumers” are worlds apart.
No marketing professional would dream of using the same messages to both audiences!
So, the question isn’t when “medical tourism” will move to the mainstream, but when it will end. When will we stop thinking about these complex markets as a single, amorphous blob we call “medical tourism”? We need to put an end to this, and to consider the important differences between and among these markets and how we, as healthcare professionals, can serve them.
Let’s end “medical tourism,” and start a more scientific, and humanistic approach to global, cross-border trade in wellness, health, and medical services.
To learn more, and to start scientifically reaching your markets for wellness, health & medical services contact Stackpole & Associates today. istackpole@stackpoleassociates.com, +1-617-719-9530 – Mobile & WhatsApp