Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 29, 2025
Evaluation of a Point-of-Care Testing Analyzer for Measuring Peripheral Blood Leukocytes
Published on: March 22, 2022
Exploring measurement tools to optimise hospital physician distribution
N A M Suan1, S A Soelar2, R A Rani3
1Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah, Clinical Research Center, Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia. irzah96@yahoo.com.
Introduction:
Equitable healthcare delivery is essential and requires resources to be distributed, which include assets and healthcare workers. To date, there is no gold standard for measuring the correct number of physicians to meet healthcare needs. This rapid review aims to explore measurement tools employed to optimise the distribution of hospital physicians, with a focus on ensuring fair resource allocation for equitable healthcare delivery.
Materials And Methods:
A literature search was performed across PubMed, EMBASE, Emerald Insight and grey literature sources. The key terms used in the search include 'distribution', 'method', and 'physician', focusing on research articles published in English from 2002 to 2022 that described methods or tools to measure hospital-based physicians' distribution. Relevant articles were selected through a two-level screening process and critically appraised. The primary outcome is the measurement tools used to assess the distribution of hospital-based physicians. Study characteristics, tool advantages and limitations were also extracted. The extracted data were synthesised narratively.
Results:
Out of 7,199 identified articles, 13 met the inclusion criteria. Among the selected articles, 12 were from Asia and one from Africa. The review identified eight measurement tools: Gini coefficients and Lorenz curve, Robin Hood index, Theil index, concentration index, Workload Indicator of Staffing Need method, spatial autocorrelation analysis, mixed integer linear programming model and cohortcomponent model. These tools rely on fundamental data concerning population and physician numbers to generate outputs. Additionally, five studies employed a combination of these tools to gain a comprehensive understanding of physician distribution dynamics.
Conclusion:
Measurement tools can be used to assess physician distribution according to population needs. Nevertheless, each tool has its own merits and limitations, underscoring the importance of employing a combination of tools. The choice of measuring tool should be tailored to the specific context and research objectives.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Health Information Technology and Healthcare Information System
Health Information Technology, commonly called HIT, integrates advanced information systems and technology in healthcare settings. Its primary functions include:
01:26Pharmacokinetic Models: Comparison and Selection Criterion
Physiological models take a detailed approach by considering specific molecular processes. They can predict drug distribution, metabolism, and elimination changes, providing a comprehensive understanding of how drugs interact with the body.
01:29Issues And Trends In Healthcare Delivery System
Cost Containment
Payment for healthcare services has historically promoted adoption of costly and often unnecessary or inefficient...
01:15Methods of Documentation VI: Case Management Model
For example, a patient with a chronic...
01:06Model Approaches for Pharmacokinetic Data: Distributed Parameter Models
The distributed parameter models are specifically designed to account for variations and differences in some drug classes. This model is particularly useful for assessing regional concentrations of anticancer or...
01:26Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is...