Research on the Equity and Optimal Allocation of Basic Medical Services in Guangzhou in the Context of COVID-19

Abstract

Optimizing the allocation of basic medical services and ensuring their equity are necessary to improve the ability to respond to public health emergencies and promote health equity in the context of COVID-19. This study aims to analyze the equity of Guangzhou’s basic medical service and identify areas where health resources are relatively scarce. The spatial distribution and patterns of basic medical services were analyzed using kernel density analysis and standard deviation ellipse. The equity was analyzed using the Gini coefficient and Lorenz curve in terms of population and geographical area, respectively. Considering the medical demand and supply sides, the Gaussian two-step floating catchment area method was used to analyze the accessibility to different levels of medical institutions. The kernel density analysis and standard deviation ellipse showed that the spatial distribution of medical and health resources in Guangzhou is unevenly distributed, and high-level hospitals and medical resources are mainly concentrated in the centrum. From the perspective of population, Guangzhou’s medical equity is generally reasonable. The accessibility of medical institutions differs with different levels, and the tertiary medical institutions have the best accessibility, while the unclassified, primary, and secondary medical institutions generally have lower accessibility. The accessibility of districts in Guangzhou varies greatly. Areas in the center are most accessible to basic medical services, while accessibility in outskirt areas has gradually decreased. Conclusion: The quantity of per capita medical and health resources in Guangzhou, as evidenced by basic medical services, is sufficient, but the spatial distribution is unequal. The developed city center enjoys more adequate healthcare resources than the distant suburbs. Primary healthcare should be built, especially in distant suburbs, to strengthen basic medical service equity in Guangzhou.