Trade in Health Services via Four Modes in Asian Countries: Challenges and Opportunities

Information and communication technology have made it easier to trade health services and the business is rapidly growing. Health services under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) are traded through four modes. Migration of health professionals، the 4th mode of trade in health services، has had a growing trend due to demographic changes، aging populations and rising health care costs in high-income countries as factors that increase demand، and expanding exports، increase foreign exchange incomes، increase knowledge and skills of employees supply as factors encouraging supply. Although migration of health professionals to countries has advantages، it can be a challenge too. This study reviewed the opportunities and challenges of migration of health professionals from the Asian countries. Trade in health services as one of most complex challenges of health system، its various types، and the current situation of Asian countries dealing with the fourth type were studied and opportunities and challenges of migration of health professionals were expressed. Studies showed that countries importing or exporting health services are not faced with identical opportunities and threats. Migration to higher income countries has the opportunity to work and better conditions for health professionals and provides a source of income for the exporting country. However، lack of explicit policies in this area will lead to the depletion of the country of origin from skilled labor which reduces labor and leads to loss of national wealth spent on educating the staff.