Chapter 13 Applications of operations research in health care delivery

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews work in operations research that is devoted to health care delivery. The chapter discusses the system design and planning that involves large allocation decisions, both at the policy level and at the operational level. The chapter discusses the analytic tools developed in operations research to support the areas, such as regionalization, health districting and the expansion and contraction of services. Management of operations examines monitoring and control methodologies at the operational and tactical levels. Management information systems (MIS) are usually required to implement operations research models in health care management. Medical management involves patient disease detection and treatment at the policy and at the patient levels. Models of screening programs for an individual frequently incorporate information on the disease's progression and then try to minimize the expected detection delay or maximize the lead time. Data technology is opening up many more modelling opportunities for operations researchers. Modelling these systems can enable hospital personnel to reduce errors, increase timeliness, reduce costs, and make appropriate diagnostic and treatment decisions, thereby reducing risk and increasing satisfaction and successful outcomes.