Abstract

Relative Density Metrics as an Indicator of Healthcare Availability
Track: Hospitals and Health Systems
Authors: Joseph Staven, Brandon Cosley

Access to healthcare providers and facilities is a key indicator of appropriate and efficient utilization of services. Relative density metrics improve upon traditional methods of calculating access to care by considering both the distance to and the concentration of competing healthcare services. An example study leverages ESRI drive-time output to illustrate the predictive utility of relative density metrics in predicting non-urgent emergency department use in a Tennessee Medicaid population.