Estimating the spatial correlation and convergence of China's healthcare resources allocation: evidence from the Yangtze River Delta Region

Abstract

Highlights ⦁ This paper provides a more comprehensive measurement of the supply of healthcare resources by using the entropy weight method and the three dimensions of financial, human, and material resources. ⦁ This study suggests that more attention should be given to the spatial interaction among different regions when discussing healthcare resources allocation. ⦁ A spatiotemporal distribution and convergence regression methodology is used to perform healthcare equity research so as to portray the characteristic facts, evolution, and influencing factors of inter-regional healthcare resources allocation. ⦁ Healthcare reforms could be added to convergence spatial panel model estimations, which provides evidence on the possible policy effects of related reforms.

Keywords

• Yangtze River Delta
• Healthcare resources
• City clusters
• Spatial effects
• Convergence
• Healthcare reform