Annals of the Association of American Geographers· 2012· Review
Measurement, Optimization, and Impact of Health Care Accessibility: A Methodological Review
- 680citations
- 2012year
Short summary
This review synthesizes methods for measuring and optimizing healthcare accessibility, highlighting how accurate measurement and strategic resource allocation can reduce health outcome disparities.
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Key points
- Accurate measurement of healthcare accessibility is fundamental for effective resource allocation to underserved areas.
- Optimization methods can improve the distribution of healthcare providers to maximize service coverage, minimize patient travel, and enhance equity.
- Disparities in healthcare access are linked to significant differences in health outcomes, including cancer diagnosis stages.
- The review focuses on methodological advancements in accessibility measurement and optimization.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Despite spending more than any other nation on medical care per person, the United States ranks behind other industrialized nations in key health performance measures. A main cause is the deep disparities in access to care and health outcomes. Federal programs such as the designations of Medically Underserved Areas/Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas are designed to boost the number of health professionals serving these areas and to help alleviate the access problem. Their effectiveness relies first and foremost on an accurate measure of accessibility so that resources can be allocated to truly needy areas. Various measures of accessibility need to be integrated into one framework for comparison and evaluation. Optimization methods can be used to improve the distribution and supply of health care providers to maximize service coverage, minimize travel needs of patients, limit the number of facilities, and maximize health or access equality. Inequality in health care access comes at a personal and societal price, evidenced in disparities in health outcomes, including late-stage cancer diagnosis. This review surveys recent literature on the three named issues with emphasis on methodological advancements and implications for public policy.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 2012 · DOI ↗
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TransportationSocial Sciences