14. Location Models in Healthcare

Determining the location of health care resources plays an integral role in societal planning of health care delivery. Ensuring that populations have proper access to health care resources such as preventive care, treatment facilities, and emergency services is often the primary criterion decision makers use in locating such resources. Location decisions in health care settings present unique challenges that need to be considered such as the implications on a population’s health outcomes. In this chapter, a diverse range of health care applications of location models are discussed. Common location model formulations are presented along with discussions of when each model formulation may be preferred. A case study is presented based on the location of stockpiled antidotes for a nerve agent response in North Carolina. Solutions to the location model formulations discussed are compared along with a solution resulting from an easy-to-implement heuristic. Future opportunities for location models in health care settings are identified.