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How Does Cross-City Patient Mobility Impact the Spatial Equity of Healthcare in China?

Author

Listed:
  • Bowen Xiang

    (School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

  • Wei Wei

    (School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
    China Institute of Development Strategy and Planning, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

  • Fang Guo

    (School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

  • Mengyao Hong

    (School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

Abstract

The phenomenon of patient mobility is becoming increasingly frequent, altering the actual service ranges of hospitals across various cities. However, its impact on the spatial equity of healthcare services at the national scale has yet to be fully explored. This paper aims to reveal the impact of intercity patient mobility on healthcare equity in China. Using one million patient mobility records from online healthcare platforms, we construct the 2023 Cross-City Patient Mobility Network in China and identify the patterns of cross-city patient mobility. Furthermore, we employ the Dagum Gini coefficient to measure the spatial disparities in per capita healthcare services before and after patient mobility. The results show that: (1) cross-city patient mobility exhibits administrative boundary effects and reflects the administrative hierarchy system, yet megacities extend their healthcare service ranges beyond provincial and urban agglomeration boundaries; (2) patient mobility enhances the equity of per capita healthcare services at both intra-provincial and inter-provincial levels, with inter-provincial disparities contributing significantly more than intra-provincial disparities—a trend further reinforced by patient mobility. This study not only provides a methodological framework for understanding the impact of patient mobility on the healthcare system but also offers empirical support for public health policymaking.

Suggested Citation

  • Bowen Xiang & Wei Wei & Fang Guo & Mengyao Hong, 2025. "How Does Cross-City Patient Mobility Impact the Spatial Equity of Healthcare in China?," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-17, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:2:p:214-:d:1572826
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Meng Yu & Shenjing He & Dunxu Wu & Hengpeng Zhu & Chris Webster, 2019. "Examining the Multi-Scalar Unevenness of High-Quality Healthcare Resources Distribution in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-20, August.
    3. Xiaoyi Xie & Peiji Shi, 2023. "Dynamic Evolution and Collaborative Development Model of Urban Agglomeration in Hexi Corridor from the Perspective of Economic Flow," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-20, January.
    4. Sarah Hartmann, 2019. "Mobilising patients towards transnational healthcare markets – insights into the mobilising work of medical travel facilitators in Delhi," Mobilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(1), pages 71-86, January.
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