[Urban hospital markets: a methodological approach]

Area of Science:

• * Health Services Research
• * Spatial Epidemiology
• * Public Health Management

Background:

• * Hip fractures represent a significant public health concern, particularly among the elderly.
• * Efficient organization of healthcare services is crucial for managing patient populations with specific conditions.
• * The Unified Health System (SUS) in Brazil faces challenges in resource allocation within metropolitan areas.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To develop and apply a method for constructing hospital markets for hip fracture patients.
• * To identify areas of primary and secondary market domains for hip fracture care in Rio de Janeiro.
• * To provide insights for health planners to optimize resource organization within the healthcare system.

Main Methods:

• * Utilized a spatial smoothing technique employing a Kernel (quartic) estimate.
• * Defined hospital service areas and subsequently hospital markets.
• * Analyzed data for patients with hip fractures admitted to municipal hospitals in Rio de Janeiro (1994-1995).

Main Results:

• * Successfully constructed hospital markets based on patient service areas.
• * Identified distinct geographical domains (primary and secondary) for hip fracture treatment.
• * Demonstrated the spatial distribution of healthcare utilization for hip fractures.

Conclusions:

• * Hospital market analysis is a valuable tool for understanding healthcare access and utilization.
• * The developed method can aid health planners in resource allocation for specific patient groups.
• * Findings can inform strategies for improving the organization of hip fracture care in urban settings.