Analyzing the Spatial Distribution of Specialist Physician Offices in Ilam City and Determining Suitable Zones to Propose a Desirable Pattern

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• pakzad azadkhani ¹
• Kobra Mehrabi Mehrabi ²

¹ Assista I nt Professor, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Non-Profit University of Bakhtar, lam, Iran

² - M. A of Geography and Urban Planning, Non-Profit University of Bakhtar, Ilam, Iran

10.30495/jupm.2022.4065

Abstract

Using the traditional methods for planning the special physician offices to give health and care services is wasting time and paper. Nowadays, GIS or Geographical Information System works as a means to create a proper and efficient bank of information. One of the uses of this positioning system is the land use for special physician offices. This study aims to evaluate the spatial distribution of specialist doctor offices in Ilam City and to determine suit able zones in order to provide a desirable pattern using a descriptive-analytical method. Data collection in this research has been done through library and field methods. The statistical population of the study consists of urban management experts, 20 of whom are selected through available sampling. The research questionnaire is distributed among them. Data analysis is performed using fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and integration with digital layers in Expert Choice and ArcGIS software. The stages for determining the locations of specialist doctor offices included preparing information layers in raster format for each criterion, classifying each information layer based on the value by using FUZZYAHP, combining all the information layers, applying the final coefficients of the FUZZYAHP model, and preparing the final map. After performing the necessary calculations and evaluations, the highest weight was given to the criterion of “population density and vulnerable population” (0.303), while the lowest weight was given to the criterion of “distance from commercial usages” (0.016). Considering the weights of the criteria and the overlap between the layers, ultimately the highly suitable areas with an area of 43 hectares, the zone with suitable location with an area of 176 hectares, the zone with relatively suitable location with an area of 225 hectares, the zone with unsuitable location with an area of 131 hectares, and the zone with highly unsuitable location with an area of 269 hectares for the establishment of specialist doctor offices in Ilam City were determined. The most suitable locations were in Area One of Ilam City Hall, zones 2 and 3; in Area Two of Ilam City Hall, zones 1 and 2; in Area Three of Ilam City Hall, zones 1, 2, and 3; and in Area Four of Ilam City Hall, zones 1, 2, and 4
Expanded Abstract
Extended abstract
Introduction: Using the traditional methods for planning the special physician offices to give health and care services is wasting time and paper. Nowadays, GIS or Geographical Information System works as a means to create a proper and efficient bank of information. One of the uses of this positioning system is the land use for special physician offices. health and care services and specialist specialized offices are are very important elements that lack of access to them can endanger the health of citizens.Increase urban problems, including environmental pollution and traffic, day by day. Impose more costs on citizens. And it challenges urban discipline. Quick access, timely and cheap these centers are very important in any society, especially in urban communities.This study aims to evaluate the spatial distribution of specialist doctor offices in Ilam City and to determine suit able zones in order to provide a desirable pattern. Ilam city as one of the cities of Ilam province and due to having some factors such as increasing population due to rural-urban migration and joining the surrounding villages to the city border, population density and density of different uses, especially specialized offices in the city center is encountering many problems in locating urban land uses. The duty of urban planners is to determine the optimal location of such centers, so that all urban residents have easy access to these centers. In addition, it can be said that planners try to optimize the distribution of service centers in cities and this distribution is proportional to population distribution and with the demand in different parts of the city. The present study was aimed to have a spatial-place analysis of specialized offices in Ilam city, determining suitable areas and providing a desirable model for this use, and the question that arises here is “how the spatial-place distribution of specialized offices in Ilam city? And what model can be presented for their optimal distribution?
 
Materials and Methods: The present study is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical based on the data collection method that was conducted in 2018. Data collection in this research has been done through library and field methods. The statistical population of the study consists of urban management experts, 20 of whom are selected through available sampling. The research questionnaire is distributed among them. Data analysis is performed using fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and integration with digital layers in Expert Choice and ArcGIS software. The stages for determining the locations of specialist doctor offices included preparing information layers in raster format for each criterion, classifying each information layer based on the value by using FUZZYAHP, combining all the information layers, applying the final coefficients of the FUZZYAHP model, and preparing the final map. Also, the variables and criteria of this research include physical, population data, access and intervals for examining the distribution of the current situation and locating the optimal situation for the use of specialized offices in the city.
 
Results: The results show that most of the specialized offices in Ilam city are located in the central part of the city, i.e. Saadi area and 22 Bahman Square, and there are no offices in other areas or there are a few of them. In other words, specialized offices in Ilam do not have a suitable distribution. According to the results, specialized offices are in a good position in terms of population density index, vulnerable population, distance from educational centers, proximity to first-class access, and proximity to residential centers. However, in terms of the proximity criteria to health centers, the distance from the existing specialized offices, and the proximity to the incompatible uses are not in a good position. According to the surveys performed by experts in the field of urban management regarding the importance of standard criteria for the location of specialized offices, it can be stated that, After performing the necessary calculations and evaluations, the highest weight was given to the criterion of “population density and vulnerable population” (0.303), while the lowest weight was given to the criterion of “distance from commercial usages” (0.016). Considering the weights of the criteria and the overlap between the layers, ultimately the highly suitable areas with an area of 43 hectares.
 
Conclusion: The results of this study  are consistent with the study of Amar et al. (2012), Rahimi et al. (2014) and Ghazanfarpour et al. (2015) in terms of non-spatial distribution of specialized offices and health centers and consistent with Varesi et al. (2014) in terms of lack of access of some urban areas to healthcare facilities. Also, the results are consistent with the research of Amar et al. (2012) due to non-compliance with some standard criteria in the location of specialized offices, and consistent with the results of Khakpour et al. (2014), Ghazanfarpour et al. (2015), Cinnamon et al. (2008) and Cheng et al., (2009). The present study is consistent with the research of Ahadnejad et al. (2014), Moradpour et al. (2015) in terms of the evaluation of the studied layers, but is not consistent in terms of the importance of each of the criteria. However, the results of Parsai Moghadam et al. (2016) are consistent with the results of the present study in terms of determining the proximity to population density in the establishment of medical centers. The most suitable locations were in Area One of Ilam City Hall, zones 2 and 3; in Area Two of Ilam City Hall, zones 1 and 2; in Area Three of Ilam City Hall, zones 1, 2, and 3; and in Area Four of Ilam City Hall, zones 1, 2, and 4.

Keywords

• doctor office
• finding locations
• zoning
• Ilam City

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