Refining the 15-minute community living circle: An innovative evaluation method for medical facility allocation in Chengdu

Abstract

The equitable distribution of public medical facilities is a cornerstone of urban planning, shaping the essence of urban livability. The globally embraced "15-Minute Community Living Circle" has offered a guiding light, but its traditional emphasis on walking often oversimplifies the complex modal choices urban residents make, especially when health emergencies necessitate rapid access. Our study revitalizes this paradigm by infusing it with a multi-modal perspective, spotlighting Chengdu—a city emblematic of the urban metamorphosis typical in burgeoning metropolises. Leveraging real-time isochrone data, our study enhances the 15-Minute Community Living Circle concept by incorporating multiple transportation modes, aligning it more closely with the realities of urban mobility. Analyzing data from 85 comprehensive hospitals and 76 streets in Chengdu, we provide a detailed assessment of spatial accessibility and efficiency. This nuanced examination reveals a distinct disparity: the city center emerges as a hub of high accessibility, contrasting starkly with the more limited access characterizing its outskirts. As urbanization accelerates and populations converge towards city centers in developing nations, these findings are both a diagnosis and a call to action. Our methodology, synergizing the multi-modal essence with the 15-minute community philosophy, offers not just an in-depth appraisal of Chengdu's medical infrastructure but pioneers a versatile blueprint for urban centers globally, reshaping how we envision equitable healthcare access in urban landscapes.