Equity in regional access to renal dialysis in Brazil

Abstract

Public healthcare is arguably the most important concern for a region, or national economy. Costs continue to rise, as do expectations for reasonable access to services. Health service facility location is of great importance given its relationship to utilization rates. This paper examines equitable access to renal dialysis in Brazil. System enhancements involving new equipment for different levels of investment are explored. Results show that it is possible to improve the locational efficiency of dialysis equipment. Further, nationwide allocation plans enable shorter average distances to be achieved compared to the state allocation strategy that is traditionally relied on.