Two CQUniversity academics have won a 'best paper' award in India for exploring how medical tourists search for information before embarking on their journey.

Watched by conference delegates from around the world, Anita Medhekar and Leonce Newby discussed that global medical tourism is the fastest growing healthcare service sector.

Anita Medhekar and Leonce Newby with their international conference awards

The authors found that medical tourists use a variety of information sources, of variable quality, hence their search cost and time and search skills are important for selection and assessment of details about the best suited treatment, physician, hospital and destination.

The Rockhampton-based School of Business and Law academics received 'The Paul T. Bruder Distinguished Paper Award' during a VIP-laden ceremony at the 7th International Conference on Healthcare Systems and Global Business Issues sponsored by Jaipur National University (JNU) in India.

The award, named after the conference creator, was presented by State of Rajasthan Health Minister Dr Mahesh Joshi, Chancellor of the JNU Sandeep Bakshi, Vice-Chancellor Professor K.L. Sharma, and Conference Chair Dr Ashish Chandra, a Professor of Healthcare Administration from the University of Houston Texas,  amongst other dignitaries, academics and medical professionals.

The JNU Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor expressed an interest in establishing collaboration with CQUniversity in the allied health/medical education sector.

Ms Medhekar presented a second paper on 'Indian Government Policy to Support Trade in Medical Tourism Services'.

She explored government policy measures to develop, support and promote trade in the medical tourism industry in partnership with private providers, to make this industry globally competitive and sustainable and to ensure India becomes a global health destination.

"The conference held during January is a leader in terms of global healthcare business administration and management related topics," Ms Medhekar said.

Healthcare professionals and academics presented papers in various tracks such as: global healthcare issues, challenges and strategies;  healthcare finance and policy; healthcare education programs; health facility accreditation; health behaviour and pain management; medical tourism; healthcare marketing and communication; human resources in healthcare; global healthcare management education; health insurance and patient satisfaction; hospital management; population and family planning in developing countries; rehabilitation issues;  pharmaceutical products; and medical procedures.

Leone Newby and Anita Medhekar with their awards

The delegates jointly emphasised the dire need to empower and improve hospital management to ensure better and effective healthcare services, healthcare insurance and financing, public health costs and policy, and the need to make people aware of health issues.

In a keynote address, Professor William B. Stroube of Evansville University, USA,  highlighted the need for practical training and awareness about career opportunities in healthcare management education in the view of the growing global hospital and healthcare industry.

Professor Joseph Coyne from Washington State University, USA, who heads the healthcare management education program, also spoke about the dire need for global competencies required in healthcare and hospital management programs .

The conference has links with journals namely: Hospital Topics, Journal of Health Care Management, Health Marketing Quarterly, Clinical Research and Regulatory Affairs, and the International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing. 

JNU Chancellor Sandeep Bakshi said the event aimed to "find the most cost-effective means in the healthcare industry deriving from the various strategies being taught in business schools".

"Special attention is being paid particularly to how better healthcare can be provided to children, women, the disabled and the aged," he said.

"The management teaching in the field of healthcare will greatly facilitate the communication between patients, doctors and the hospitals."