[APDIO] Curso "Operations Research in Health Care Logistics”

["Susana Relvas" <susana.relvas@tecnico.ulisboa.pt>]

Curso "Operations Research in Health Care Logistics”
leccionado por Teresa Melo, Full Professor (W3), Saarland University of Applied Sciences, Business School, Saarbrücken, Germany.  

Dia 4 de Maio de 2016, das 14h30 às 17h30. 

 

Local: Centro de Matemática e Aplicações, FCT, UNL, Monte da Caparica em sala a anunciar posteriormente. 

 

O curso é gratuito mas, por questões logísticas, solicita-se a inscrição prévia enviando um email para Isabel Correia (isc@fct.unl.pt).

Abstract: Although ancillary services such as those provided by logistics seem simple and straightforward, their role is typically overlooked by health care institutions such as hospitals. However, they impact significantly on the quality of health care provided as well as on costs. Recent studies indicate that logistics-related activities account for over 40% of a hospital’s spending. Health care logistics contributes to the provision of care to patients by ensuring that all required services and resources (i.e. staff, facilities and equipment) are delivered at the right time. In the current context of cost containment, where hospitals and other health care institutions must carefully manage public funds, improving the management of these scarce resources has become more and more pressing. Operations Research (OR) provides methodologies to support logistics operations and assists in process optimization. In particular, we will illustrate the use of OR techniques through various case studies for managing the inventory of medical supplies, planning elective surgeries, organizing intra-hospital patient transports and improving the organization of an emergency department. The methodologies employed, their implementation and the results obtained will be described. Focus will also be given to challenges faced, the opportunities derived and the lessons learned from implementing OR across several German hospitals. Finally, future research directions in health care logistics will be identified.

 

Supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) through the project UID/MAT/00297/2013 (Centro de Matemática e Aplicações).