An Analysis Of The Factors Influencing The Selection Of Chinese Medicine For Outside

Background:International medical care was firstly appeared at the end of 19 century, during the past years, the international medical market experienced patients flow from less developed countries to the developed countries to now from developed countries to the underdeveloped countries or the developing world, it’s also called "the reverse flow". Now, this reverse flow phenomenon is more and more obvious, the international medical market scale is enormous, many countries around the world especially developing countries are scrambling to international medical development, strive for the international medical market The international medical service provided by different countries has something in common as well as something different. International medical service of China has a unique advantage in traditional Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), within its holistic characteristic and prevention philosophy, attracts more and more attention all over the world. The characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine service trade has become the theme of the development of Chinese medicine. Hospitals carry out the international health care is an important part of service trade of traditional Chinese medicine. TCM international medical treatment can not only offer service to patients from all around the world, but also spread traditional Chinese medicine culture, promote the development of Chinese medicine. However, the current medical institutions of TCM which are involved in international medical encounter many restricting factors in the process, one of which is lack of understanding of international patients, failed to grasp what is the international patients most care about TCM and their motivations of choosing TCM medical care.Objective:By exploring factors influencing expatriates’decision-making of buying TCM service, understanding the patients’motivation and reasons of choosing TCM and their expectations, analyzing the main factors influencing the international patients to choose TCM, key factors, etc.,will help TCM hospitals/clinics to develop business of international medical care, to better understand the service object, to design international medical service strategy typically, and to attract more international patients. However, the domestic research mainly talk about the international medical service provider, hospitals and other medical institutions research status quo and existing problems, development of the international health policy suggestions and discussion, etc. Few researches think from the demand of international medical customers, explore their motivations and influence factors of the international medical. There is a blank in this research field for domestic researchers. Therefore, this study intends to investigate factors influence expatriates choosing TCM.Methods:This study is based on the theories of consumer behavior theory, medical service theory. Combined with literature research, questionnaire survey, factor analysis and other research methods, aim to figure out the factors influencing expatriates’decision-making of TCM medical service. First of all, through the literature research, combined with suggestions from international medical doctors of TCM and the chief of those institutions, determine the factors that affect expatriates choose the TCM, and form the questionnaire. Secondly, using convenient sampling method, went to places like the international communities, TCM hospitals/clinics, universities, foreigners and other places, the questionnaire survey collected 212 valid questionnaires. Finally through the factor analysis method, it is concluded that there are 8 factors modeled, the sample further analyzed by sample cluster analysis is divided into three categories.Results:Research results show that the factors influencing international patients to choose TCM have the common factors that affect the international medical care, and characteristics of TCM. Within factor analysis, medical treatment quality, characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine, medical needs, common factors of international medical care, international medical expenses, national macroeconomic factors, brand and rehabilitation needs are considered to be the TCM service decision influencing factors of expatriates. The influence factors of medical quality is the most key dimension, the second feature like traditional Chinese medicine, brand influence, demand of medical and rehabilitation demand factors are also considered by foreigners. On the basis of factor analysis to cluster analysis, finally the samples of expatriates are divided into three types of TCM international consumer groups. They are common international patients, rational expatriate patients of TCM service, and expatriate patients of TCM service with big potation to exploring.Conclusion:In the perspective of expatriates, characters and advantages of TCM are mostly attractive, there are some priority diseases of TCM gradually formed in the existing TCM international medical practice. Expatriates get TCM service mainly come from friends’, family members’ or others’ advice, how to maximize the interpersonal communication to promote the development of TCM international medical effect is the key point that international medical institutions should think about. At the same time, the international medical institutions of TCM should also actively expand a variety of international medical marketing channels. Finally, the samples of expatriates are divided into three groups. TCM international medical institutions can choose one separated market to promote their service. Such as aim to attract common international patients only, rational expatriate patients of TCM service only, or expatriate patients of TCM service with big potation to exploring.