A comparative analysis of hospital accessibility: A study case in the municipalities of Rio Claro and Sao Carlos

Hospitals can significantly impact their surroundings and the transport system of the region they are located, characterizing them as trip generators. With this regard, this study aimed to perform an analysis of the levels of accessibility to hospitals, such as “Santa Casa”, located in the municipalities of Rio Claro and Sao Carlos, considering three ways of traveling: walking, driving, and taking public transport. The proposed method is based on an indicator (time) to measure accessibility to hospitals, making use of geographic information systems. IBGE data were used to estimate the income levels of the traffic areas studied. A survey with the users of hospitals located in the municipalities of Rio Claro and Sao Carlos was performed to characterize the source and location of the travel. A comparative analysis of accessibility was carried out, according to income levels, to verify whether the portion of the population who actually needs and uses hospital services benefits from compatible accessibility levels.