An Analysis of the Proximity Based Polarisation of the Hospital Network of Moldavia’s Counties

Abstract

Since 1990, the deficiencies of the widely criticised health care system of Romania have been analysed from economic, political and management related points of view, but the territorial dimension of this system was often neglected. Identifying and understanding the shaping role of the spatial dimension are the prerequisites of any effective and compelling implementation of change. This paper aims to analyse the hospital network in Moldavia’s counties from the geographic proximity based influence point of view. The polarisation areas of territorial, emergency and specialised (pneumology and phthisiology, psychiatric) hospitals are generated as Thiessen proximal polygons. These geometric constructions help to determinate the locations that are the closest to a particular hospital, which proves to be useful in medical emergency situations, but also when distance becomes an important restrictive factor – as in the case of vulnerable population with limited financial resources, scarce mobility opportunities or constraints imposed by age. The hospital network may be considered the backbone of the medical system and its spatial distribution should be taken into account as an important shaping factor. This paper offers a regional approach of this matter, which can be used for planning bottom-up improvement strategies.

Keywords

• hospital network
• medical services
• health care system
• thiessen polygons
• medical geography
• moldavia
• romania