Title: Using stochastic goal programming to rearrange beds inside Habib Bourguiba Hospital

Authors: Badreddine Jerbi, Hichem Kamoun

Addresses: Quantitative Methods Department, GIAD Research Unit, Faculte des Sciences Economiques et de Gestion de Sfax, Route de l'aeroport Sfax, 3018 BP 1088 Tunisia. ' Quantitative Methods Department, GIAD Research Unit, Faculte des Sciences Economiques et de Gestion de Sfax, Route de l'aeroport Sfax, 3018 BP 1088 Tunisia

Abstract: This paper considers the problem of bed rearrangement in hospitals and proposes some research tools to provide an effective and balanced rearrangement of beds. By studying the activity report of Habib Bourguiba Hospital, it was found that some departments have a shortage while others have a surplus in beds. Working with a shortage in beds is highly unpleasant for both patients and staff. It affects all types of qualities. Bed managers are usually faced with a situation where they have to find beds in another department or refuse patients. This leads to higher risks and complications. We use a stochastic goal program and satisfaction function concepts to rearrange the beds. The optimal plan of the number of beds to be transferred from one department to the other is given as well as a comparison indicating that the proposed solution is superior to the one existing.

Keywords: stochastic goal programming; satisfaction function; power distribution; bed occupancy; length of stay; bed allocation; health services; Habib Bourguiba Hospital; Tunisia; patients; medical staff; nurses; doctors; bed managers; applied management science.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAMS.2010.031082

International Journal of Applied Management Science, 2010 Vol.2 No.2, pp.122 - 135

Published online: 20 Jan 2010 *

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