Identifying Spatial Matching between the Supply and Demand of Medical Resource and Accessing Carrying Capacity: A Case Study of Shenzhen, China.

Yuhao Zhao,Jiansheng Wu,Tengyun Yi,Hongliang Wang,Jiayi Fu

doi:10.3390/ijerph19042354

Abstract

Previous Studies, such as the evaluation of the supply of and demand for regional medical resources and carrying capacity assessments, require further development. This paper aims to evaluate the carrying capacity and spatial distribution of medical resources in Shenzhen from the perspective of supply and demand, and to conduct a time-series variation of the coupling coordination degree from 1986 to 2019. The two-step floating catchment area method was employed to quantify the carrying capacity and coupling coordination degree method and spatial autocorrelation analysis were applied to analyze spatial distribution between supply and demand. The results were as follows. (1) The carrying capacity index in more than 50% of the districts was classified as low-grade. The percentage of regions with good grades was 8.27%. The regions with a high carrying capacity were distributed in the central and southeastern areas. (2) The coupling coordination continued to rise, increasing from 0.03397 in 1986 to 0.33627 in 2019. (3) The level of supply and demand for medical resources in Shenzhen increased from 1986 to 2019, and the highest degree of compatibility between the supply and the population size was largely concentrated in the western and eastern regions. This research can provide a theoretical reference for Shenzhen to rationally plan medical resources and improve the carrying capacity of medical resources.

Highlights

Against the backdrop of rising urbanization and an increasing urban population, the demand for public health services has increased dramatically
In order to respond to such sudden public health crises, improving the public health system and rationally allocating medical resources have become the focus of the governments of various countries [4,5]
Luohu, Futian, and and level of supply of medical resources in Shenzhen showed wide variations in Yantian District were distributed within the former Special Economic Zone (SEZ), which was developed earlier in 1979,distribution and in 2010 extended cover whole city, r andwas had aestablished relatively concentrated of hospitals and to a high levelthe of carrying capacity of medical resources

Summary

Introduction

Against the backdrop of rising urbanization and an increasing urban population, the demand for public health services has increased dramatically. Medical resources are critical to ensuring the provision of sound public medical services in cities [1–3]. In order to respond to such sudden public health crises, improving the public health system and rationally allocating medical resources have become the focus of the governments of various countries [4,5]. In mega-cities, the mis-match between the supply of and demand for medical resources is significant due to the more obvious increase in population, and presents a social issue that governments need to urgently address to safeguard people’s livelihoods and stabilize society [6–8]. Research related to medical resources tends to focus on issues related to the acces-sibility and equity of medical resources. The accessibility of medical re-sources is used as an indicator to evaluate the spatial distribution balance and equality of medical resource

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Discussion

Conclusion