Medical Tourism in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship: Development, Barriers, and Perspectives
Purpose: The West Pomeranian Voivodeship, particularly the city of Szczecin, occupies a distinctive position in the Polish medical tourism landscape due to its border location, accessibility for foreign patients, developed infrastructure, and concentration of private clinics specializing in aesthetic medicine and plastic surgery. The purpose of this article is to analyse the evolution, determinants, and future prospects of medical tourism in the region. Design/Methodology/Approach: This article presents a comprehensive analysis of medical tourism in the region, based on empirical research conducted between 2017 and 2024 in clinics serving international patients. The data include the number of foreign visitors, demographic structure, nationalities, age categories, gender distribution, and the popularity of selected procedures. The study is based on a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative and quantitative techniques (analysis of secondary data; clinic-level data analysis; qualitative interviews; narrative SWOT analisys). The methodological framework was designed to reflect the interdisciplinary nature of medical tourism, which intersects healthcare, economics, and tourism studies. Findings: The findings reveal significant post-pandemic recovery, a dominant share of German patients, increasing numbers of visitors from the United Kingdom and Ireland, and a rising proportion of male patients. Practical Implications: The narrative analysis demonstrates that medical tourism in Szczecin is strongly shaped by economic factors, regional attractiveness, service quality, and evolving patient expectations. The article concludes that the West Pomeranian Voivodeship has high potential for further development, provided systemic cooperation between the medical and tourism sectors is strengthened Originality/Value: The study is significant because it integrates empirical clinic-level data, regional tourism statistics, and theoretical perspectives on medical mobility. It also provides evidence-based recommendations for policymakers and healthcare providers.