Optimization of healthcare supply chain in context of macro-ergonomics factors by a unique mathematical programming approach

A Azadeh; S Motevali Haghighi; Z Gaeini; N Shabanpour

doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2016.01.002

Optimization of healthcare supply chain in context of macro-ergonomics factors by a unique mathematical programming approach

Appl Ergon. 2016 Jul:55:46-55. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2016.01.002. Epub 2016 Jan 29.

Authors

A Azadeh¹, S Motevali Haghighi², Z Gaeini³, N Shabanpour⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Center of Excellence for Intelligent-Based Experimental Mechanic, and Department of Engineering Optimization Research, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: aazadeh@ut.ac.ir.
² School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Center of Excellence for Intelligent-Based Experimental Mechanic, and Department of Engineering Optimization Research, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Iran; Department of Industrial Engineering, Esfarayen University of Technology, Esfarayen, Iran.
³ School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Center of Excellence for Intelligent-Based Experimental Mechanic, and Department of Engineering Optimization Research, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Iran.
⁴ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Polytechnic University of Milan, Milan, Italy.

PMID: 26995035
DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2016.01.002

Abstract

This study presents an integrated approach for analyzing the impact of macro-ergonomics factors in healthcare supply chain (HCSC) by data envelopment analysis (DEA). The case of this study is the supply chain (SC) of a real hospital. Thus, healthcare standards and macro-ergonomics factors are considered to be modeled by the mathematical programming approach. Over 28 subsidiary SC divisions with parallel missions and objectives are evaluated by analyzing inputs and outputs through DEA. Each division in this HCSC is considered as decision making unit (DMU). This approach can analyze the impact of macro-ergonomics factors on supply chain management (SCM) in healthcare sector. Also, this method ranks the relevant performance efficiencies of each HCSC. In this study by using proposed method, the most effective macro-ergonomics factor on HCSC is identified as "teamwork" issue. Also, this study would help managers to identify the areas of weaknesses in their SCM system and set improvement target plan for the related SCM system in healthcare industry. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study for macro-ergonomics optimization of HCSC.

Keywords: Data envelopment analysis (DEA); Healthcare supply chain (HCSC); Human factors; Macro-ergonomics; Sensitivity analysis.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Delivery of Health Care / organization & administration*
Efficiency, Organizational
Ergonomics / methods*
Health Care Rationing / methods*
Humans
Models, Organizational*