Scheduling Transfer Patients and Assigning Patient Transfer Units in Nova Scotia in Collaboration with Emergency Medical Care Inc. (EMC)

本Engage提案的目的是开发当代大数据调度系统的要求和方法，用于哈利法克斯地铁的患者转移。该项目由紧急医疗保健公司（EMC）赞助，该公司是一家私营公司，管理一支地面和空中医疗车队，负责新斯科舍省的地面和空中医疗紧急服务以及病人转移。他们拥有并经营几辆救护车、病人转运单位（ptu）、一架直升机和一架固定翼飞机以及一个后勤通讯中心。在其他职责中，EMC负责在新斯科舍省提供患者转移服务。需要从医疗机构或疗养院转移到另一医疗机构预约或需要医疗服务的患者请求转移；EMC计划并执行转移。EMC已经确定了患者转移安排方面的挑战，并认为有机会提高效率（减少PTU的行程距离、时间和空车），减少患者重新安排或延误（以提高患者舒适度并最大限度地减少医疗保健提供者的干扰）。如果EMC能够提高患者转诊的效率，它将从节省大量成本中获益，并有可能提高患者和提供者的服务水平。这个研究项目将着眼于安排和分配病人转移的要求。运营策略将在与EMC协商后确定并正式确定。最后，我们将开发一种使用运筹学工具改进调度的方法（当前的调度系统是手动的）。

The purpose of this Engage Proposal is to develop the requirements and methodology for a contemporary bigdata scheduling system for patient transfers in Metro Halifax. The project is sponsored by Emergency MedicalCare Inc. (EMC), a privately-owned company that manages a fleet of ground and air medical vehiclesresponsible for ground and air health emergency services as well as patient transfers in the Province of NovaScotia. They own and operate several ambulances, patient transfer units (PTUs), a helicopter and a fixed wingaircraft as well as a logistics communications centre. Among other responsibilities, EMC is responsible forproviding patient transfer services across Nova Scotia. Patients that require transfer from a medical facility or anursing home to another medical facility for an appointment or required medical service request a transfer;EMC schedules and executes the transfer. EMC has identified challenges in patient transfer scheduling andbelieves there is an opportunity to improve efficiency (reduce PTU travel distance, time, and deadhead) andreduce patient rescheduling or delays (to improve patient comfort and minimize health care providerdisruptions). If EMC can improve the efficiency of their patient transfers, it will benefit from considerable costsavings and potentially improve service levels for patients and providers. This research project will look at therequirements for scheduling and assigning patient transfers. Operational strategies will be identified andformalized in consultation with EMC. Finally, we will develop a methodology for improved scheduling usingoperational research tools (the current system of scheduling is manual).