A derivative-free approach for a simulation-based optimization problem in healthcare

Stefano Lucidi (), Massimo Maurici (), Luca Paulon (), Francesco Rinaldi () and Massimo Roma ()
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Stefano Lucidi: Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering, Universita' degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza"
Massimo Maurici: Dipartimento di Biomedicina e Prevenzione Laboratorio di Simulazione e Ottimizzazione dei servizi del SSN Universita' di Roma "Tor Vergata"
Luca Paulon: Dipartimento di Biomedicina e Prevenzione Laboratorio di Simulazione e Ottimizzazione dei servizi del SSN Universita' di Roma "Tor Vergata"
Francesco Rinaldi: Dipartimento di Matematica, Universita' di Padova
Massimo Roma: Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering, Universita' degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza"

No 2014-15, DIAG Technical Reports from Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering, Universita' degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza"

Abstract: In this work a simulation-based optimization model is considered in the framework of the management of hospital services. Given specific parameters which describe the hospital setting, the simulation model aims at reproducing the hospital processes and evaluating their efficiency. The use of a simulation-based optimization approach is necessary since the model can not be expressed as closed–form function. In order to obtain the optimal setting, we combine a derivative-free optimization method with a discrete event simulation model. The resulting framework has been tested on a real healthcare problem. More specifically, we study how to optimize the performance of an obstetric ward of a big Italian hospital, from both an economical and clinical point of view, taking into account some relevant constraints. The resulting optimization problem is a Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming problem due to the presence of some variables constrained to be integer.

Keywords: Healthcare problems; Simulation-based optimization; Derivative-free methods (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cmp, nep-ger and nep-hea
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