Quantitative evaluation of the medical resource allocation policy in China: a PMC-index model approach

BACKGROUND: A comprehensive policy framework constitutes a crucial institutional foundation for the sustainable development of healthcare systems and quantitative evaluation of public policies offers a scientific basis for policy refinement and optimization. Amid ongoing healthcare reform and profound shifts in the structure of demand for medical resources, systematically assessing the textual quality of national-level medical resource allocation policies, together with examining of their structural characteristics and evolutionary trajectories, carries considerable practical significance. METHODS: Through a systematic screening process, 16 national-level policy documents on medical resource allocation were identified. Text-mining techniques were applied to extract high-frequency keywords and build a keyword co-occurrence network, after which the PMC-index model was then used to quantitatively assess the overall quality of these policies. Heterogeneity analyses were then conducted across policy quality grades and time periods to reveal structural differences and evolutionary patterns. RESULTS: The average PMC-index across the 16 policies was 6.67, suggesting that China's medical resource allocation policies are generally of relatively high quality. However, the analysis revealed several structural weaknesses, including limited predictive and forward-looking content, insufficient medium- to long-term planning, and an under-supply of higher-level policy instruments. Temporal analysis showed that the PMC-index increased from the Exploration Stage to the Deepening Stage before declining modestly in the Focus Stage. CONCLUSIONS: China's medical resource allocation policies are of relatively high overall quality, yet further improvements remain necessary. Future policy efforts should focus on three priorities: optimizing the hierarchical structure of the policy system, strengthening policy predictability and medium- to long-term planning orientation, and refining policy content and implementation mechanisms. Together, these efforts would enhance the systematization, stability, and governance effectiveness of the policy framework.