ISSN: 2642-6250
Authors: Guarducci G, Messina G, Urbani A, Carbone and Nante N*
Background: The analysis of mobility flows (movement of patients to hospital away from the place of residence) involves aspects of services quality (real/perceived), equity of access to healthcare and considerable financial flows. This work has a methodological meaning and summarizes the author’s experience over the years in order to demonstrate the usefulness of Gandy’s Nomogram (Cartesian graphic tool) to evaluate hospital patients’ mobility at MACRO, MESO and MICRO level. Materials and Methods: We analysed data of Hospital Discharge Cards (HDCs) produced by Italian hospital and provided by the HDCs Database of General Directorate for Health Planning of Ministry of Health from 1998 to 2019. We used also data produced by Management Control of Polyclinic of Siena from 1988 to 2007. The subjects of the analysis (catchment areas) were hospital networks of single Italian regions and in particular the Province of Siena. The study of flows was developed through Gandy’s Nomogram. The trend analysis was carried out through STATA 14. Results: Gandy’s Nomogram of inter-regional mobility showed that there was a concentration of critical situations, especially in southern Italy, where only Basilicata seemed to have embarked on a clear path for enhancing hospital supply during the studied period. The regions of Centre-North, in particular Lombardy, Emilia Romagna and Friuli-Venezia Giulia appeared to be in virtuous conditions. Conclusion: Gandy’s Nomogram, used to represent health mobility flows, has proven to be a practical graphical tool that can provide a geographical interpretation of access to health services and it is useful for health policy evaluation and planning.
Keywords: Gandy’s Nomogram; Patients’ Mobility; Italian Hospital Networks; Health Policy; Hospital Services Planning; Polyclinic of Siena
