Operations Research Improves Quality and Efficiency in Home Care

Patrik Eveborn (), Mikael Rönnqvist (), Helga Einarsdóttir (), Mats Eklund (), Karin Lidén () and Marie Almroth ()
Additional contact information
Patrik Eveborn: Optimal Solutions AB, SE-58330 Linköping, Sweden
Mikael Rönnqvist: Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration, NO-5045 Bergen, Norway
Helga Einarsdóttir: City of Stockholm, SE-10535 Stockholm, Sweden
Mats Eklund: TietoEnator, SE-73821 Kista, Sweden
Karin Lidén: Norberg Municipality, SE-73821 Norberg, Sweden
Marie Almroth: Linköping Municipality, SE-58181 Linköping, Sweden

Interfaces, 2009, vol. 39, issue 1, 18-34

Abstract: Elder care systems are facing increased costs, primarily because the elderly constitute a growing percentage of the population. Sweden publicly finances such systems; in 2005, the cost to taxpayers on a national level was 8.8 billion euros ($13 billion). The many customized aspects of scheduling home care workers to assist elderly and disabled citizens with their varying needs contribute to these costs. Laps Care , a system that was developed in 2002, uses operations research modeling to eliminate the manual planning of home care unit assignments. More than 200 units/organizations in Swedish municipalities use Laps Care each day to plan staff scheduling and routing for 4,000 home care workers. The system has increased operational efficiency by 10--15 percent; this corresponds to an annual savings of 20--30 million euros ($30--$45 million). In addition, the quality of home care for elderly citizens has improved. The City of Stockholm, with its 800,000 inhabitants, adopted Laps Care in 2006 and started a full implementation and rollout during 2008, thus adding 800 units and 15,000 home care workers to the system. The savings for the City of Stockholm will be 20--30 million euros ($30--$45 million).

Keywords: health care; decision support system; heuristics; scheduling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (25)

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