Hospital Site Selection for the Health Management of the Citizens; A Case Study: Zone 10, Shiraz Municipal, Iran

Today, population growth and the consequent physical development of cities have led to a shortage of urban infrastructure and services in new urban areas. The purpose of the present study was to determine the areas deprived of medical services in zone 10, Shiraz municipal, Iran, and to find the optimal locations for use.

The descriptive study was conducted with a citizen-centered approach. The required information was also obtained from the detailed plan of the region. By designing the questionnaire, experts in the field of health and urban planning were asked to rate 3 criteria and 10 sub-criteria, and determine the preference of each criterion. For optimal site selection, hierarchical analysis and geographic information system (GIS) were used.

The high concentration of health care use in the center of Shiraz City had caused the northwestern and southeastern regions to face a shortage of medical use. After reviewing the criteria and sub-criteria, the best spatial locations were proposed for the construction of the hospital.

The distribution of urban services, especially medical services, must be such that spatial justice is respected. Barren and endowment lands, proximity to first-class passages and densely populated areas, have been suggested as top locations for hospitals.