Addressing decisions about new hospitals' siting: a multidimensional evaluation approach

Area of Science:

• Urban Planning
• Healthcare Management
• Geographic Information Systems

Background:

• Site selection for urban facilities, particularly healthcare, involves complex criteria and side effects.
• Existing evaluation systems often neglect the critical aspect of facility location.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a comprehensive evaluation system for healthcare facility site selection.
• To develop a practical tool for assessing land suitability for new healthcare structures.

Main Methods:

• Conducted an extensive literature review.
• Analyzed hospital site selection in 10 European cities.
• Developed a four-macro-area evaluation system (Functional, Location, Environmental, Economical quality).

Main Results:

• The proposed evaluation system was applied to the site selection of "La Città della Salute" in Milan.
• The Selection hospitals' Site (ShOS) Evaluation Tool was defined.

Conclusions:

• The ShOS Evaluation Tool enhances the transparency and robustness of the site selection decision-making process.
• The tool has broad applicability for future healthcare infrastructure planning.