چكيده به لاتين
Abstract:
Aim: Pediatric immunization scheduling problem (PISP) plays a crucial role in both national cost savings and public health planning. However, scheduling an appropriate vaccination program, due to need for incorporation of many considerations, is a complex procedure for the insiders. We present a novel approach for this crucial problem.
Subject and Methods: Given logical similarities held between PISP and the resource-constrained project scheduling problem (RCPSP), we present a comprehensive framework, which is driven from project management techniques. It comprises of four steps; (1) we see the PISP as a project and discussed their resemblance. (2) a Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) approach which deals with baseline planning as a combination of three RCPSP models is presented.(3) considering real-life applications, a user-friendly tool dealing with fallings behind the baseline plan is introduced and (4) a project-based technique is briefly discussed for more cost and quality of care evaluations.
Results: As the implementation results of a pilot implementation in Allergic Research center (ARC) of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences shows, the proposed tool was successful to gain the insiders satisfaction, while the process had been previously taken much longer and might result in human failures. Initial implementation results in ARC shows $ 15,000 cost saving per child using the presented tool.
Conclusion: Pediatric immunization plays a crucial role in public health and costs. We make use of project control techniques to provide a comprehensive framework for this issue. A decision support tool is presented which gives individualized plans and cost evaluations based on Earned Value Management (EVM) technique
Keywords: Pediatric immunization, Project planning, catch-up scheduling, earned value management, decision support systems
