1. Introduction 1
2. A taxonomy of trade 4
2.1 Mode 1: distance care 4
2.2 Mode 2: patients 9
2.3 Mode 3: capital 13
2.4 Mode 4: labour 16
2.5 Trade in goods and trade in services 19
3. Price 23
3.1 Comparative cost 23
3.2 Willingness to travel 27
3.3 Insurance 31
3.4 Out- of- pocket 42
3.5 Care and cure 47
3.6 Price and performance 48
4. Quality 53
4.1 Perception and reality 53
4.2 Malpractice 61
4.3 Information 64
4.4 Principal and agent 68
4.5 International collaboration 74
4.6 Accreditation and certifi cation 75
5. Diff erentiation 81
5.1 Procedures and possibilities 81
5.2 Location 87
5.3 Culture 91
5.4 Tourism and health tourism 93
6. Health tourism: the benefi ts 99
6.1 The countries that buy