Operations Research

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Operations Research By Dr. S.M. Israr Aga
Khan University Karachi, Pakistan
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Operations Research

• Session Objectives
• To describe the need and importance of
  Operations Research for rationale decision making
  in health care delivery
• To discuss the basic Operations Research
  concepts and techniques for solving particular
  problem and identification of appropriate
  solution
• To develop a research proposal using the general
  approach for Operations Research

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Delivery of health care -Primary
care -Secondary care -Tertiary care
Economic support -Public sources of
finance -Employers -Organized volun- tary
agencies -Local community efforts -Foreign
Aid -Private households -Other
Management -Leadership -Decision-making -pl
anning -implementation -monitoring and
evaluation -information Regulation
Organized arrangement of resources
-National health authorities -Health insurance
programmes -Other governmental agencies
-Non-governmental agencies -Independent private
sector
Development of health resource -Manpower
-Facilities -Equipment and supplies -Knowledge
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Operations Research
Operations Research is the application of
analytical methods designed to help the decision
makers choose between various courses of action
available to accomplish specified objectives
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Operations Research - Methodology
Operations Research
Problem Analysis
Solution Development
Solution Validation
Evaluation
Implementation
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Operations Research Approach

• Phase -I PROBLEM ANALYSIS
• Define the Operations Research
• Analyze the problem and divide into smaller units
• Establish research priorities

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Operations Research Approach

• Phase-II SOLUTION DEVELOPMENT
• Specify solution objectives
• Specify decision variables and stipulate
  constraints on the solution
• Identify or construct an appropriate model for
  solution development
• Determine and obtain required data
• Develop solutions using analytical model

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Operations Research Approach

• Phase-III SOLUTION VALIDATION
• Design field test
• Implement field test
• Evaluate the propose solution
• modify if necessary
• Integrate the solution with the larger system

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Phase -I, Problem Analysis1. Define the
operational problem

• Discussion of problem with all stake- holders
• Identifying subsystems
• Develop objectives for subsystems
• obtaining consensus on objectives of the
  subsystem

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Phase -I, Problem Analysis 2. Analyze the
problem and divide into smaller units

• Operational problem is analyzed in
• detail.
• The problem is broken into smaller
• units.
• This is presented graphically.
• The graph shows inputs, outputs and the outside
  factors.

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Phase -I, Problem Analysis 3. Establishing
Research Priorities

• First look at the system as a whole and then as a
  cluster of major subsystems.
• Then ask where one should expect modifications to
  produce the greatest positive impact on outputs.

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Phase -II, Solution Development 1. Specify
solution objectives

• Solution objectives are statements of the
  desired solutions to the operational problem.
• These are usually stated in terms of system
  efficiency that is conservation of inputs and
  maximization of outputs.
• Fixed inputs with maximum outputs.
• Minimum inputs with maximum outputs.

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Phase -II, Solution Development2. Specify
decision variables and stipulate constraints on
the solution

• Decision variables are factors that both play a
  role in determining how a system functions and
  are also within the control of the system
  manager.
• Amount of ORS packets
• Training methods
• Factors that limit the the practical range of one
  or more decision variables are called
  constraints.
• Socio-economic, ethnicity, occupation,
  educational level, weather, terrain

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Phase -II, Solution Development3. Identify or
construct an appropriate model for solution
development

• Model building is the essence of the operations
  research
• A model is the simplified representation of the
  real world
• Resource allocation
• Networking
• Cost-analysis

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Phase-III SOLUTION VALIDATION1. Design
field test

• How believable are the outcome of the field test.
• Experimental
• Non-experimental
• Quasi-experimental

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Phase-III SOLUTION VALIDATION2. Implementing
the field test

• Determination of requisite resources
• Development of management scheme
• Development of training material
• Arrangements of obtaining human and other
  resources needed
• Design of an information system

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Phase-III SOLUTION VALIDATION3.
Evaluating,modifying and integrating the solutions

• Continuous assessment to ensure refinements of
  inputs
• Integrating the solution within the system

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An Example...

• TB control Program.
• High defaulter rate among TB patients.
• How to assess the situation?