1282. Decision Processes in Emergency Medical Service Location Planning: A Case Study from Duisburg, Germany
Invited abstract in session MC-33: Decision Processes, stream Decision Analysis.
Monday, 12:30-14:00Room: Maurice Keyworth 1.31
Authors (first author is the speaker)
| 1. | Jutta Geldermann
|
| Chair of Business Administration and Production Management, University of Duisburg-Essen | |
| 2. | Isabel Wiemer
|
| Chair of Business Administration and Production Management, University Duisburg-Essen |
Abstract
The primary goal of emergency medical services (EMS) is to provide rapid and efficient assistance in critical situations. The strategic planning of ambulance station locations - serving as dispatch points for ambulances - is essential to ensuring effective emergency response. Key decisions in this context include site selection and station capacities, to maximize coverage or minimize response times.
We present the decision-making process of the fire department responsible for EMS and its collaboration with the university project team in a comprehensive case study from Duisburg, Germany. As the third-largest city in the Ruhr metropolitan area, Duisburg faces unique geographical challenges: a densely populated city center contrasts with sparsely populated outskirts, while the Rhine and Ruhr rivers divide the city into multiple areas connected only by bridges, impacting the accessibility of the EMS.
The presentation outlines the essential steps in problem structuring, data collection and preparation for several years, model development, and effective communication with the EMS decision-makers. The case study provides insights into how Operations Research methods support EMS location planning, addressing real-world challenges to improve coverage and emergency response.
Keywords
- Decision Analysis
- Health Care
- Practice of OR
Status: accepted
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