The article focuses on the use of geospatial technologies to address the challenge of developing the pharmacy network in the Community of Madrid, Spain, specifically finding gaps in the urban pharmacy network for new installations while adhering to legal restrictions.
The pharmaceutical sector in Spain is regulated to ensure proper supply and dispensing of medicines, with limitations on pharmacy ownership, location, and technical-economic conditions.
The Spanish legal framework mandates a minimum distance of 250m between pharmacies, measured along a walkable urban graph, with additional requirements to be met for locating pharmacy offices.
The article discusses the use of network analysis tools like OSMnx and NetworkX to identify potential locations for setting up new pharmacies in consolidated urban areas.
The methodology involves data collection, grid placement, vector calculations, and grid overlay to identify areas suitable for housing new pharmacies based on topological distances.
Results show gaps in the urban fabric where new pharmacies can be located, considering the saturation of pharmacies in certain areas and legal urban planning constraints.
The publication emphasizes the approximate nature of the solution and the need for further on-site analysis to assess urban conditions and property availability for new pharmacy installations.
The study area selected, centered on the Madrid district of Tetuán, is used to illustrate the methodology, demonstrating the application of geospatial technologies in urban planning.
The article provides details on data sources, disclaimer on liability, and references for transparency, encouraging independent validation of data and consultation with experts before implementation.
Overall, the study showcases the effectiveness of network analysis tools in addressing complex urban challenges and highlights the potential for similar applications in other urban development scenarios.