Decision support system for health care resources allocation

Electron Physician. 2017 Jun 25;9(6):4661-4668. doi: 10.19082/4661. eCollection 2017 Jun.

Abstract

Background: A study about healthcare resources can improve decisions regarding the allotment and mobilization of medical resources and to better guide future investment in the health sector.

Aim: The aim of this work was to design and implement a decision support system to improve medical resources allocation of Bejaia region.

Methods: To achieve the retrospective cohort study, we integrated existing clinical databases from different Bejaia department health sector institutions (an Algerian department) to collect information about patients from January 2015 through December 2015. Data integration was performed in a data warehouse using the multi-dimensional model and OLAP cube. During implementation, we used Microsoft SQL server 2012 and Microsoft Excel 2010.

Results: A medical decision support platform was introduced, and was implemented during the planning stages allowing the management of different medical orientations, it provides better apportionment and allotment of medical resources, and ensures that the allocation of health care resources has optimal effects on improving health.

Conclusion: In this study, we designed and implemented a decision support system which would improve health care in Bejaia department to especially assist in the selection of the optimum location of health center and hospital, the specialty of the health center, the medical equipment and the medical staff.

Keywords: Data warehouse; Decision support system; Health sector.