Operational Research for Emergency Planning in Healthcare: Volume 2

This book presents a selection of studies that have applied Operational Research methods to improve emergency planning in healthcare, to include both A&E and public health emergencies like epidemic and natural disasters. The studies have delved into qualitative Operational Research like Problem Structuring, Critical Systems Thinking, Soft Systems Methodology and Qualitative System Dynamics, and also quantitative techniques such as Monte Carlo Simulation, Discrete-event Simulation and System Dynamics. These techniques have been applied for review and assessment of emergency services, for policy formulation and for facilitating broader public engagement in emergency preparedness and response. Furthermore, thia book presents rigorous reviews on the application of Operational Research in the wider healthcare context. This volume mainly focuses on emergency planning at a strategic level, whereas the emphasis of volume 1 is on operational level planning. The OR Essentials series presents a unique cross-section of high quality research work fundamental to understanding contemporary issues and research across a range of Operational Research (OR) topics. It brings together some of the best research papers from the highly respected journals of the Operational Research Society, also published by Palgrave Macmillan.