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The ever increasing attention to the further development of the health resort business and touristic activities in this country implies the necessity of the proper scientifically sound substantiation for the more efficient exploitation of the available spa and health resort resources of the Russian Far East as well as the ample recreational potential of this region taking into consideration that they have not been completely utilized during the preceding period., Aim: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the of the «Goryachy Plyazh (Hot Beach)» physiotherapeutic facility on the Kunashir island., Materials and Methods: We have studies the chemical, bacteriological, and radiological properties of thermal waters from the natural sources located in the vicinity of the «Goryachy Plyazh» physiotherapeutic facility. The medical potential of the area was assessed in accordance with the methodological guidelines №96/226 on drawing up the bioclimatic passport approved by the Ministry of Public Health of the Russian Federation on the 7thFebruary of 1997., Results: We have proposed the aggregate indicator of the therapeutic and recreational potential making it possible to evaluate the totality of health-improving properties in the combination with the landscape and climatic characteristics of the locality of interest. The neighbourhood of the «Goryachy Plyazh» physiotherapeutic facility on the Kunashir island was found to harbour the sources of mineral waters of various types. Specifically, siliceous thermal waters of varying ionic composition (e.g. containing chlorides, sodium, silicium, and boron) of the Omsk and Ursdon types are suitable for multipurpose therapeutic utilization including the protracted internal application for the treatment of chronic gastritis and other intestinal problems, diseases of liver and endocrine system, as well as metabolic disorders. Mineral water of the Kul'dursky type can be used for the external use in the form of bathing and other hydrotherapeutic procedures for the management and prevention of the diseases of various dermatoses, the diseases of the nervous, musculoskeletal, and genitourinary systems., Conclusion: The results of the study give evidence of the ample aggregate therapeutic and recreational potential of the localities in the neighbourhood of the «Goryachy Plyazh» physiotherapeutic facility located on the Kunashir island amounting to 76.5% which suggests the very promising prospects for the further development and utilization of this territory for the health resort business and touristic activities.

Unlabelled: The correction and optimization of the motor activity of the patients are currently the main priorities of all rehabilitative and recreational activities based at the spa and health resort facilities. The forms of such activities include walking tours and excursion trips. In other words, the excursion potential is one of the very important attributes of the recreational recourses. Under the current conditions characterized by the rapid socio-economic changes, the studies concerning the structural and functional transformation of spa and health resorts, recreational and tourist facilities acquire special importance, both from the humanitarian and economic points of view. The results of these studies may greatly contribute to the organization and the further development of rehabilitative and recreational activities based at the spa and health resort facilities, recreational and tourist centers taking into consideration their evolution., Material and Methods: The objective of the present article is to analyze the structure and functions of the recreation and tourist centres as well as the modes of their cooperation with the spa and health resort facilities. In other words, these structures and their functions are both the object and the subject of the present study. The methodology of the study is based on the logical analysis of the development of the recreational and tourist systems in the framework of the evolutionary approach., Results: (1) the notions of «tourist destination» and «recreation» have been substantiated; (2) the results of the studies carried out at the Institute of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Petrozavodsk State University have been used to elaborate the affiliate international Master Degree program «Project management in the tourism industry». The main emphasis in this program is placed on the necessity and methods of the improvement of recreational activities and more efficacious utilization of the climatic factors and the health resort infrastructure as well as personnel training for the sake of improvement of services to the visitors., Conclusion: The analysis of various aspects of recreation and tourism development has demonstrated that the services provided by the recreational and tourist systems in cooperation with the health resort infrastructure open up new employment opportunities and thus reduce the risk of social tension. The prospects for the continuation of investigations along these lines are associated with the extension of the recreational and touristic activities over the rural and countryside localities with special reference to the trans-border interactions as well as specific features of the tourist and recreational resources of the given regions and territories.

The aim of this article is to present the course of privatization of spa companies in Poland during the period 2001-2011. We discuss assumptions of the privatization process, as well as actual implementation, having identified the process as chaotic and inconsistent with prior legal provisions. We found that in its applied form the process resulted in limitation of the therapeutic potential of spas, and reduction of the State's ability to implement health policy in a legally determined form. We also found that privatization potentially improved spa infrastructure standards and increases the tourist potential of spa resorts. We recommend that clear eligibility criteria are applied to institutions in the privatization process, as well as the provision of legal guarantees for access to spa services financed from public resources. Such guarantees should be made a public obligation, to ensure the availability of services for insured persons, and there should be an obligation to maintain a specific part of a given institution's potential for the needs of patients funded by public health insurance., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This article is devoted to the history of one of the oldest Siberian health resorts known as "The Karachi Lake". It describes the stages of its development, the scientific component of the system of spa-and-resort therapy and medico-social rehabilitation of the patients. The detailed analysis of the mechanisms underlying the beneficial action of the natural therapeutic factors, cooperation with the leading research institutions, and the formation of the modern scientific and technical basis have strengthened the position of the resort on the market of the medical, health-promoting, and recreational services due to the development of the new activities in this field.

The article is devoted to the history of creation and development of the Far Eastern health resort Kuldur located in the spurs of the Khingan range at the territory of the Jewish Autonomous Region. The historical sketch spans the period from 1897 to the present time including the phases of the resort activities at different stages of its developments in pre-revolutionary and post-revolutionary Russia (from the epoch of developed socialism to our time). The authors describe the contribution of the personnel of the resort, geologists, scientists of the Khabarovsk Medical Institute and other research institutions to the elucidation of the mechanism of action and therapeutic effectiveness of nitric-siliceous thermal waters.

The involvement of spa and resort facilities in the system of compulsory health insurance is of primary importance for the improvement of medical aid provided to the population. The application of the methods for the calculation of differential expenditures on the spa and resort-based treatment and estimation of their dependence on a variety of factors may facilitate the more rational use of the available resources of compulsory health insurance.

The health resort treatment takes an important place in the system of treatment and prophylaxis activities aimed to conservation and restoration of the health of military personnel. It is ninety years since the foundation of the first military health resorts. During this time a unique system of resort treatment in the armed forces of the Russian Federation has been formed and is neatly functioning. It is nowadays one of the component parts of medical support of military personnel, retirees and members of their families.

The main principles of the organization of medical activities of spa and resort institutions including children's and tuberculosis (phtysiatric) ones are discussed in conjunction with the relative normative and legal acts.

A total of 162 patients with risk factors of cardiovascular diseases were examined in our health centre. 102 of them were enrolled in the optimized program of non-medicamental prophylaxis applied under health resort and outpatient conditions during four years. The program included rational nutrition, psychotherapy, adequate locomotor activity, hydro-, gaso-, and thermotherapeutic procedures, and educational curricula. The patients of the control group were given the traditional health resort treatment. The comparison of the clinical and functional conditions of the patients in both groups revealed a significant advantage of the proposed therapeutic strategy.

The inclusion of spa-and-resort facilities in the sphere of compulsory medical insurance is in accordance with the law "On the compulsory medical insurance in the Russian Federation". However, this work implies serious preparatory activity aimed at estimating the requirements of different groups of the country's population in the follow-up treatment and rehabilitation based at the spa-and-resort facilities as well as the available resources for this purpose, modes of payment, rate structure, etc. The spa and resort-based treatment within the framework of the compulsory medical insurance system must be made one of the components of the regional programs of medical rehabilitation.

The main principles underlying the present-day organization of spa and resort services for the population of the Russian Federation are described. The emphasis is laid on the procedures for the selection and referral to spa and resort facilities of the patients, both adults and children, in need of balneotherapeutic treatment. The relevant normative and legal regulations are discussed.

Results of a comprehensive study have demonstrated that the reform of the public health system currently underway in this country provides conditions for the extension of medical care based at sanatorium-and-spa facilities with simultaneous rise in relevant expenses. Bearing in mind the unstable macroeconomic situation, this requires thorough monitoring medical and economic activities of health resorts for the purpose of enhancing cost efficiency. The goal of optimization can be achieved by increasing competitive capacity based on strict control of expenditures and income redistribution for financing the most promising projects.

Long-term monitoring natural health remedial factors of southern Siberia provided materials for the comparative evaluation of bioclimatic characteristics of sanatorium-and-spa facilities in major health and recreational areas of this region. The most promising localities for climatic balneotherapy, tourist and recreational activities have been identified at the territory of the Altai-Sayan mountain system. The database of sanatorium-and-spa facilities, health and recreational sites located in this region is presented. The rational exploitation of mountainous landscapes including strict constraints on nature use activities is recommended as a basis for the further development of recreational industry.

The age-old spa concept is no less valuable today than it was during the time of Julius Caesar. Over the centuries, there have been many iterations of the concept of the spa. The most recent is the medical spa, which has become the fastest-growing segment of the spa industry. Many physicians including dermatologists wish to incorporate a medical spa into their practices. This article discusses the key elements that should be considered to make this venture successful.

This article details the past, present, and future of spa dermatology and discusses the implications for dermatologists.

The spa business is booming in the United States. More and more spa facilities are opening up, almost on a daily basis. Dermatologists are the owners of some spas, but spas are often being run by other types of physicians or, more alarmingly, by people unfamiliar with treating skin conditions of any kind. This article discusses the importance of the dermatologist-run spa, as well as the author's ideas and experience with opening and running a medical spa or medi-spa.

A background is given to the development of the Dead Sea spas. The treatment and results of the therapy for psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and vitiligo are outlined, especially for psoriasis. The different factors involved in this spa treatment are discussed, and the advantages and disadvantages presented.