Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Medical tourism, characterized by patients leaving their home community to seek health care services elsewhere, is on the rise globally. In New York state, 57,189 non-resident adult patients sought treatment in a hospital in 2015. Contrary to broader trends, this was a 9.45% reduction in patients from outside the state seeking care compared with a decade earlier. As the competition grows for patients, understanding those more likely to travel for procedures may become an important marketing resource for health care providers. This study uses hospital discharge records to describe demographics, clinical indicators, patient travel patterns, and explores the associations with those obtaining intentional (non-emergent) surgeries and inpatient procedures. We find that among non-resident patients in New York, international travelers, older adults, women, and those with a lower severity of illness are positively associated with intentionally seeking inpatient care across borders. Providers hoping to grow this patient population within their facilities are able to gain valuable insight into target markets and potential drivers of patient choice.