Determining Optimal Locations for Navy Medical Hospitals: An Integer ProgrammingApproach

摘要

The downsizing of military forces in the 1990's forces Navy Medicine to considerclosure and realignment of its hospitals and clinics. Any major Department of Defense (DOD) closure or realignment must be decided according to Title XXIX of United States Public Law 101-510, the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 as amended. In 1991 and 1993, this act allowed the closure and realignment of numerous Naval installations. In 1995 (the last round of closures and realignments provided for by that law), Navy Medicine expects to undergo a significant restructuring of its hospitals. Through these hospitals and civilian providers the Navy cares for assigned active duty, active duty dependents and retiree beneficiaries from all services. This thesis develops an integer linear program, Hospital Efficient Location Program (HELP), which enables Navy Medicine to determine which of its hospitals to consider for closure. Using resource and demand data available from standard DOD medical information systems, HELP has identified $0.52 billion annually in potential savings from the closure of 7 hospitals by 1999. At this savings, demand for all assigned beneficiaries is satisfied with Naval hospitals providing care for over 95% of active duty inpatient and outpatient demand. Facility location, Hospital location, Base realignment and closure.