Service Operations Management

这项研究将研究统计和数学模型，以便为一般等待队列系统和特别是紧急医疗服务(EMS)系统的规划和管理提供信息。我们将研究预测EMS呼叫量随时间和空间变化的方法，系统负载对急救人员在紧急情况现场花费的时间的影响方式以及他们是否将患者送往医院，以及在城市的急诊科之间平衡EMS负载的方法。在更一般的层面上，我将制定和分析等待队列的数学模型，这些模型结合了最新的经验结果，表明客户和服务器根据负载的变化调整他们的行为。例如，服务器最初会随着负载的增加而加速，但如果长时间保持高负载，则最终会因为疲劳而减速。作为另一个例子，服务器可能会在轮班接近尾声时改变其行为。我还将研究将经验结果转化为可用于支持计划的易处理数学模型的过程。在学术层面上，这项研究计划将对运筹学、医疗保健和服务部门的运营管理以及EMS规划和管理领域做出贡献。它将解决排队系统的经验研究和排队系统的数学模型之间的相互作用的基本问题。排队系统的经验研究量化平均服务时间如何取决于各种因素，排队系统的数学模型是根据服务率制定的。在实践层面上，这项研究将有助于改进EMS系统和其他服务系统的规划方法。在加拿大和其他地方，接受紧急护理的患者和一般接受服务的客户将从更有效和高效地匹配供需的规划中受益。

This research  will investigate statistical and mathematical models to inform planning and management of systems of waiting lines in general and emergency medical services (EMS) systems in particular.  We will investigate methods to forecast EMS call volumes over time and space, the way in which system load impacts the time paramedics spend at the scene of an emergency and whether they transport the patient to a hospital, and methods to balance EMS load across the emergency departments in a city.  At a more general level, I will formulate and analyse mathematical models of waiting lines that incorporate recent empirical findings indicating that customers and servers adapt their behaviour in response to changes in load.  For example, servers initially speed up as load increases but eventually slow down due to fatigue if load remains high for an extended period.  As another example, servers might change their behaviour towards the end of their shift.  I will also study the process of translating empirical findings into tractable mathematical models that can be used to support planning. At an academic level, this research program will contribute to the fields of operations research, operations management in the healthcare and service sectors, and EMS planning and management.  It will address fundamental issues regarding the interplay between empirical studies of queueing systems, which quantify how mean service times depend on various factors, and mathematical models of queueing systems, which are formulated in terms of service rates. At a practical level, this research will contribute to the development of improved planning methods for EMS systems and other service systems. Patients receiving emergency care in particular and customers receiving service in general, in Canada and elsewhere, will benefit from planning that matches supply and demand more effectively and efficiently.