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Working Groups
EURO Working Groups
EWG ORAHS, OR applied to health services
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EWG ORAHS, OR applied to health services
Last update: 2009-12-09
Update
information
(Restricted access)
| Web site: |
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| Coordinator: |
Prof.dr. Jan Vissers |
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Institute of Health Policy and Management,
Erasmus University Medical Centre,
PO Box 1738,
3000 DR Rotterdam,
The Netherlands |
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| Board: |
Jan Vissers (Chair) Netherlands
Sally Brailsford (Secretary) UK
Harald Buhaug Norway
Luc Delesie Belgium
Roger Beech UK
Xiaolan Xie (2007 organiser) France
Martin Utley UK
Marek Lubicz (2006 organiser) Poland
Marion Rauner Austria
Leonid Churilov Australia
Mike Carter (2008 organizer) Canada
Erik Demeulemeester (2009 org.) Belgium |
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| Newsletter: |
Newsletter ORAHS
Published twice a year |
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| Members: |
The group has at present 187 members from 23 countries, mainly in Europe but also with 35 from overseas.
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Purpose and history
The EURO Working Group on Operational Research Applied to Health Services (ORAHS) represents a network of persons involved in the application of systematic, quantitative analysis in support of planning and management in the health services sector.
ORAHS was formed in 1975 as part of a programme for developing special interest groups within the European branch (EURO) of the International Federation of Operational Research Societies (IFORS).
Membership is open to persons with an interest in applying systematic, quantitative analysis to planning and management problems in the health area.
Operational Research (OR) is systematic, quantitative analysis in support of rational policy and decision making. This umbrella concept of operational research covers many analytic approaches and methods, such as simulation modelling, mathematical programming, decision analysis, cost effectiveness analysis, development of indicators, and methods for forecasting, monitoring and evaluation. The emphasis in ORAHS lies not on the techniques as such, but on applying these to health care.
The objectives of the group are:
- communication of ideas, knowledge and experience concerning the application of OR approaches and methods to problems in the health services area;
- co-operation on the form of mutual assistance between members or on joint projects;
- inspiration with regard to approaches and attitudes in the field of applied OR.
Past activities
The group meets every year, each summer, for one week in a different European host country, and occasionally outside Europe. The annual meeting in 2001 was held in Vienna (organized by Marion Rauner). "Quantitative Approaches in Health Care Management": Proceedings of the 27th Meeting of the EURO Working Group on Operational Research Applied to Health Services, Marion Sabine Rauner and Kurt Heidenberger (eds.), ISBN 3-631-39009-2, Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main 2003.
In 2002 the annual meeting was held in Rio de Janeiro (organized by Mario Jorge Fereira de Oliveira). "Accessibility and Quality of Health Services": Proceedings of the 28th Meeting of the EURO Working Group on Operational Research Applied to Health Services, Mario Jorge Ferreira de Oliveira (ed.), ISBN 3-631-52016-6, Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main 2004. The meeting in 2003 was held in Prague, Czech Republic, and was organized by Martin Dlouhy. "Modelling Efficiency and Quality in Health Care"": Proceedings of the 29th Meeting of the EURO Working Group on Operational Research Applied to Health Services, Martin Dlouhý (ed.), ISBN 80-245-0775-7, University of Economics, Prague.
The 30th Meeting was held from June 27th till July 2nd 2004 in Stockholm Sweden, organized by Marten Lagergren. 'Quantitative methods in aged care planning and operations'. Proceedings of the 30st Meeting of the European Working Group on Operational Research Applied to Health Services, Marten Lagergren (ed), ISBN 91-631-9271-3, Stockholm Gerontoloy Research Centre.
The 31st Meeting was held from July 31 to August 5 2005 in Southampton UK, organized by Sally Brailsford. "OR for Health Policy: Making Better Decisions". Proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference of the European Working Group on Operational Research Applied to Health Services. Sally Brailsford and Paul Harper (eds), Peter Lang AG, International Academic Publishers, Bern 2007 (ISBN 978-3-03911-093-3).
The 32nd Meeting was held from July 23 to July 28 2006 in Wroclaw Poland, organized by Marek Lubicz. 'ORAHS in Action - Revisited'. The proceedings are still in progress.
The 33rd Meeting was held from July 15 to July 20 2007 in Saint Etienne France, organized by Xiaolan Xie. 'Operations Research for Health Care Delivery'. Proceedings of the 33rd International Conference on Operational Research Applied to Health Services (ORAHS'2007,). Xiaolan Xie, Francoise Lorca and Eric Marcon (eds.).
The 34th meeting was held from July 28 to August 1 2008 in Toronto Canada. Michael Carter and John Blake were the organizers. The theme of the meeting was "International Perspectives on Operations Research and Health Care". The proceedings are in progress.
The 35th meeting was held from July 12 to July 17 2009 in Leuven Belgium. Erik Demeulemeester was the organizer. The theme of the meeting was "Rethinking Health Services Management". The proceedings of the meeting are in progress.
Meetings are open to anyone with a quantitative background and an interest in the subject area, although numbers may be restricted to ensure that open debate is practicable. During the meetings, papers are presented and discussed, computer applications demonstrated and decisions regarding group affairs prepared and taken.
Associated with the meetings, study tours to local healthcare facilities are arranged with opportunities to discuss planning and management problems with local health services managers. A well-developed social programme gives good opportunities for informal discussions and friendly get-togethers with members and accompanying families.
Papers presented at the meetings cover a range of different projects, approaches and methods. Studies at strategic, operational and tactical levels have included the planning of health services systems, resource allocation, investment analysis, manpower planning, admission planning, staff scheduling, performance measurement, quality assurance and the use of information systems to improve decision support. The proceedings of the meetings are often produced as a publication. Besides the annual meetings, the Working Group also engages in different joint projects and activities.
The Working Group has also jointly produced a series of management courses and seminars in different countries on decision support for managing change in Health Care.
To facilitate contacts and co-operation, a register of members is kept, which gives addresses, telephone and fax numbers. See the website.
Future activities
In 2010 the annual meeting of the Working Group will take place in Genova Italy, from July 18 to July 23. Angela Testi (testi@economia.unige.it) is the organizer. The theme of the meeting is "OR for patient-centered heathcare". Conference website:
http://orahs2010.diem.unige.it/
Preliminary arrangements have been made for a meeting of ORAHS in 2011 in Cardiff (info: Paul Harper Harper@cardiff.ac.uk).
More information on these future activities but also on the past meetings can be found via the website of the Working Group:
http://www.management.soton.ac.uk/orahs
Publications
A few years after its start the Working Group through its then chairman Duncan Boldy, produced a "state of the art" book on the subject of "OR applied to Health Services" (Croom Helm 1980). A more recent book entitled "Enhancing Health Services Management" (Open University Press, 1997) has been edited by two members of the group, Steve Cropper and Paul Forte, and many of the chapters were contributed by other members. Feature issues of EJOR were produced in 1987 and 1998. As a follow-up of the Vienna meeting in 2001, a Feature Issue of EJOR on "OR Applied to Health Services" has been published (OR Applied to Health Services. European Journal of Operational Research, M. Rauner and J.M.H. Vissers (eds.), Volume 150, Issue 1, Pages 1-114, October 2003).
The 2005 meeting and ESI in Southampton has also resulted in a Feature issue of EJOR.
Budget
The membership of ORAHS is free of charge.
The annual meetings are covered by the fees of the participants
EURO supports the EWG ORAHS by a small amount per member per year, and by specific subsidies for meetings for guest speakers and for participants from low income countries.
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EWG ORAHS, OR applied to health services
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