Attention to Gaps and their Incidence in the Imaging Service in Patients of a Hospital in La Libertad 2025

Abstract

Timely and equitable access to diagnostic imaging services is a strategic component for the effectiveness of public health systems, particularly in regional contexts characterized by structural inequalities. This article analyzes the incidence of gap care in the performance of the imaging service in a public hospital in the La Libertad region during the year 2025. The research was developed under a quantitative approach, with a non-experimental, cross-sectional and correlational-causal design, working with a sample of 365 patients. Logistic ordinal regression models and structural equation models (SEM) were applied to estimate causal relationships between variables. The results show a direct, positive and statistically significant influence of gap care on the imaging service (p < 0.05), with a relevant explanatory capacity (Nagelkerke's R² = 46.4%). The most determining dimension was geographical accessibility, followed by human resources and infrastructure. From a public management perspective, the findings reveal that structural and organizational constraints have a direct impact on diagnostic equity, timeliness, and effectiveness, posing substantive challenges for regional governance and evidence-based health planning.