Schools Out: A GIS Approach to Measuring Healthcare Accessibility

Keywords: Medical Schools, Medical Care, Accessibility, Geographic Information Systems, Pennsylvania
Abstract Type: Poster Abstract

Abstract

With the expansion of Medicaid in Pennsylvania since 2015, there is an interest in expanding access to healthcare in the state. It is known that rural areas often have lower accessibility to medical resources, making it harder to manage health conditions on a regular basis. With a vast majority of the population residing in urban settings, it is important to look at how access is being maintained and expanded within rural communities. Previous research suggests that the density of medical schools relates to the density of practicing healthcare workers within the geographical bounds of the area. Pennsylvania was chosen because it had the first medical school and teaching hospital in the nation in addition to having one of the highest counts of medical schools in a state. This study looks at the relationship between medical school locations and hospital locations in Pennsylvania as an indicator of accessibility to healthcare. Density of medical schools and hospitals were calculated and compared with population density. Medical schools were mapped against physician density to further examine their relationship on a sub-regional scale. Hospitals were found to cluster the most around medical schools and urban areas. Affiliated hospitals made up a majority of those surrounding medical schools, with some being the sole hospital in a given county.