A Study of Emergency Medical Service Vulnerable Areas Using GIS Service Area Analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify underserved emergency medical service regions in Incheon Metropolitan City using service area analysis, an expansion module of the GIS network analysis technique, for emergency medical facilities and regional districts in Incheon Metropolitan City and to determine the policy implications of these findings. The results of the analysis confirmed that, in most areas in Incheon Metropolitan City, medical facilities could be accessed within 10 minutes. Second, to overcome the limitations of previous spatial analysis studies, the service beyond Incheon Metropolitan City was analyzed, including emergency medical facilities in surrounding service areas such as Bucheon and Siheung. It can be concluded that policies for establishing medical services and public service facilities in areas connecting to neighboring cities, such as Incheon, should consider not only Incheon Metropolitan City but also the surrounding areas.