PROGRESS IN GEOGRAPHY ›› 2018, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (2): 266-275.doi: 10.18306/dlkxjz.2018.02.009

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Spatial accessibility of urban medical facilities based on improved potential model: A case study of Yangpu District in Shanghai

Min CHENG*(), Yuejiao LIAN   

  1. School of Management, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
  • Received:2017-07-19 Revised:2017-11-24 Online:2018-02-28 Published:2018-02-28
  • Contact: Min CHENG E-mail:chengmin@yeah.net
  • Supported by:
    Shanghai Philosophy and Social Science Program, No.2016BGL008;Shanghai Pujiang Program, No.15PJC047

Abstract:

Medical services are the basic requirement of the public and are closely related to public health. The rationality of the layout and spatial accessibility of medical facilities are closely related to the right of the public to healthcare. Spatial accessibility of medical facilities represents the convenience for residents to obtain medical services. Using GIS and an improved potential model that introduces population scale factor and medical facility grade influence coefficient to traditional potential model, the spatial accessibility of urban medical facilities in Yangpu District of Shanghai was studied. By applying a spatial interpolation method, accessibility of medical facilities of Yangpu District in 2016 was obtained. Moreover, hotspot analysis was used for the cluster analysis of spatial accessibility. The results indicate that the spatial accessibility of urban medical facilities in different community of Yangpu District varies. The spatial accessibility in the central area of Yangpu District is higher than that of other areas. Spatial accessibility is relatively high in Daqiao subdistrict, Dinghai Road subdistrict, and some areas of Yinxing subdistrict. Hospitals of the same grade in the subdistricts of the central area are so closely located that medical resources are of high concentration in these areas. Overall, spatial accessibility of tertiary hospitals is better than secondary and primary hospitals in Yangpu. The improved potential model can evaluate the spatial accessibility of urban medical facilities reasonably by integrating population in demands, travel impedance between residential areas and medical facilities, and the influence of medical facility grade on residents' choice of medical services. By using GIS, the difference of spatial accessibility of urban medical facilities can be visualized. Furthermore, areas with insufficient medical resources can be defined. The results can not only enrich public facility spatial planning theory, but also provide references for the decision making of relevant government departments.

Key words: medical facilities, spatial accessibility, improved potential model, GIS, Yangpu District, Shanghai Municipality