Mapping Community Priorities for Local Medical Centers: An Importance-Performance Analysis Study of Residents’ Perceptions in Large Cities, Non-Large Cities, and Rural Areas in South Korea

<b>Background:</b> Policymakers in Korea are calling for Local Medical Centers (LMCs) to address regional healthcare disparities by expanding their roles beyond safety-net functions yet often overlook local community perspectives. <b>Methods:</b> Face-to-face survey data collected in 2022 from 2057 adults residing in Chungcheongnam-do were analyzed in this study, using Importance-Performance Analysis to assess how residents of large cities, non-large cities, and rural areas prioritize nine LMC functions. <b>Results:</b> While all valued public health policy and infectious disease control amid COVID-19, notable regional variations appeared: non-large city residents prioritized unmet healthcare needs and operational efficiency, rural respondents emphasized post-discharge care coordination due to aging and chronic disease, and large city residents focused on safety-net roles. Staff training and medical innovation ranked lowest across regions. <b>Conclusions:</b> The results highlight the inadequacy of one-size-fits-all policies and the importance of regionally tailored, resident-informed strategies for equitable public health in Korea.