Accessibility Evaluation of High Order Urban Hospitals for the Elderly: A Case Study of First-Level Hospitals in Xi’an, China

Abstract

With reference to the hospitalizing trips made by the elderly, the impedance of these trips that require the use of public transportation, is introduced. An evaluation model that can accurately detect the accessibility of high order urban hospitals (HOUHs) for the elderly is established with the help of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. Furthermore, the established model is employed to detect the accessibility of first-level hospitals in Xi’an City. Results showed that the traffic connection between hospitals and their service objects is an important factor for the feasibility and effectiveness of an accessibility evaluation. It is suggested that special evaluations of the accessibility of hospitals for the elderly are needed to achieve the human-oriented goal of urban traffic planning. The well-served spatial pattern of hospitalizing accessibility for the elderly in Xi’an City has been established in recent years because of the strategies for public transit metropolis. The accessibility constraints can be divided into three types: The imprisonment, the antagonism and the running-in, for which the corresponding countermeasures to settle the low accessibility of hospitals will be taken by the planning administration. Attention is paid to specific population groups during their hospitalizing trips in the accessibility research, which is beneficial for enabling the improvement of the current traditional method which is mainly based on travel facilities.

Navigating Aged Care Services with GIS: Trends, Developments, and Future Directions

“… By highlighting regions of high and low service ratios, we were able to identify gaps in access as well as opportunities to improve equity in RC and AL for seniors. Ke Ruan 2018 [ 36 ] China People aged 60 and above in each block unit of Xi’an City Quantitative: evaluation model Data, potential Model The urban road distribution data of the research area was established on the ArcGIS platform. The public transportation operation route included in the collection was loaded into ArcGIS.…”

“…Among the 61 articles reviewed, the needs of older adults were categorized into medical care, basic living, transportation, and spiritual needs. A total of 37 articles focused on medical care [ 3 , 15 , 16 , 20 , 21 , 23 , 24 , 28 , 29 , 31 , 32 , 36 , 37 , 39 – 41 , 43 , 45 – 50 , 50 , 51 , 53 , 54 , 56 , 57 , 60 , 63 – 68 , 72 ], 14 articles addressed basic living needs [ 14 , 18 , 26 , 27 , 30 , 35 , 38 , 44 , 52 , 55 , 58 , 61 , 62 , 69 ], 8 articles discussed transportation needs [ 19 , 22 , 25 , 34 , 42 , 70 , 71 , 73 ], and 2 articles explored spiritual needs [ 17 , 33 ].…”

“…These needs encompass various care services for older adults. Medical care needs primarily included oral health care [ 3 , 20 , 31 , 41 , 53 ], family physician and nurse practitioner services [ 21 ], medical and health facilities and services [ 24 , 36 , 37 , 49 , 50 , 54 , 63 , 64 , 66 – 68 , 72 ], disaster relief [ 29 , 32 , 46 ], palliative care [ 40 ], primary health care [ 51 , 65 ], and fall prevention [ 57 , 60 ]. Basic living needs covered areas such as aged care facilities or services [ 18 , 30 , 52 , 58 , 61 ], daily care services [ 26 ], housing [ 44 ], etc.…”

“…Among the 61 articles, the 2SFCA (two-step floating catchment area) method was employed in 11 articles [ 30 , 37 , 44 , 50 – 52 , 63 , 64 , 66 – 68 ]. Ten articles utilized ArcGIS software [ 29 , 36 , 39 , 40 , 43 , 44 , 61 , 62 , 65 , 68 ], and another ten articles applied the database functions of GIS [ 3 , 17 , 38 , 48 , 51 , 53 , 55 , 58 , 63 , 67 ]. Six articles combined GIS with case study approaches [ 15 , 50 , 51 , 54 , 63 , 64 ], while another six focused on spatial analysis [ 28 , 43 , 53 , 55 , 56 , 62 ].…”

Assessing Spatial Accessibility of Community Hospitals for the Elderly in Beijing, China

“…For example, Huotari et al [34] evaluated accessibility to tertiary hospitals in Finland using a gravity model based on population grid data and travel time estimates. Ruan and Zhang [35] constructed a potential model-based bus impedance traffic accessibility evaluation model and applied it to evaluate traffic accessibility to tertiary hospitals in Xi'an (Shaanxi Province, China). However, few studies have tackled the spatial accessibility of community hospitals for the elderly.…”