A partial coverage hierarchical location allocation model for health services

Karasakal O., KARASAKAL E., Toreyen O.

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING, vol.17, no.1, pp.115-147, 2023 (SCI-Expanded) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 17 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2023
  • Doi Number: 10.1504/ejie.2023.127742
  • Journal Name: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Compendex, INSPEC, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Page Numbers: pp.115-147
  • Keywords: hierarchical maximal covering location problem, partial coverage, gradual coverage, referral, heuristics, genetic algorithm, FACILITY LOCATION, GENETIC ALGORITHMS
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

We consider a hierarchical maximal covering location problem (HMCLP) to locate health centres and hospitals so that the maximum demand is covered by two levels of services in a successively inclusive hierarchy. We extend the HMCLP by introducing the partial coverage and a new definition of the referral. The proposed model may enable an informed decision on the healthcare system when dynamic adaptation is required, such as a COVID-19 pandemic. We define the referral as coverage of health centres by hospitals. A hospital may also cover demand through referral. The proposed model is solved optimally for small problems. For large problems, we propose a customised genetic algorithm. Computational study shows that the GA performs well, and the partial coverage substantially affects the optimal solutions. [Submitted: 20 January 2021; Accepted: 15 January 2022]