Exploring the Accessibility of Medical Facilities from the Perspective of Medical Spatial Equalization Evaluation: A Study Based on Harbin, China

As urban demand for healthcare continues to rise, the issue of equity in medical services has become increasingly prominent. This necessitates rational spatial planning of medical facilities, particularly the establishment of spatial equalization among medical facilities. Taking the main urban area of Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, as a case study, this research introduces the comprehensive accessibility of general hospitals and the subjective evaluation factors of spatial equalization for individual hospital buildings, comparing these with objective resource indicators such as bed capacity, to investigate the spatial equalization planning of medical facilities. The study reveals that the degree of equalization of medical facilities in Harbin’s main urban area exhibits a centrally radiating distribution pattern. The overall accessibility of medical facilities is satisfactory. The weighted subjective evaluation factors exert a more pronounced influence in both the core and peripheral zones of the city. Medical facilities in the urban core need to enhance spatial equalization at the individual building level, while peripheral areas require improvements in resource allocation to strengthen the equalization effect. Based on the research findings, four zones for the equalization planning and configuration of urban medical facilities are identified: facility optimization zones, service stability zones, allocation compensation zones, and peripheral buffer zones.