Resource Allocation Modelling for Home-Based Health and Social Care Services in Areas Having Differential Population Density Levels: A Case Study in Northern Ireland

Abstract

This project arose from deliberations within the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) in Northern Ireland concerning the acceptability of the revenue resource allocation methodology they were using. One problem with the method being used had been the absence of a component that adequately reflected the relative costs associated with the differential population densities of the four health boards into which the Province is divided. This study investigates a particular element of this issue, viz differences in the travelling distances and times of those health and social service professionals who provide visiting services to patients in their own homes. A modelling approach has been developed and used in conjunction with a comprehensive spatial and geographical information system for Northern Ireland. An important outcome of the study has been estimates of the targets that should be set for the annual health and social care travelling distances and times per head of population in the boards, for a range of home-based services. Also, the project has contributed to decisions made by the DHSS in Northern Ireland concerning the annual financial compensations required by boards for costs associated with their relative population densities.

Operational research applied to decisions in home health care: A systematic literature review

“…The districting solution obtained by Blais et al (2003) was actually adopted by their client who had provided the authors with real-world instances to validate the model. Both works by Hindle et al (2000;2009) were conceived to provide health care organisations with inputs for decisions on fund allocation (commissioning) at national level. The former study informed yearly allocation of funds for HHC to four areas in Northern Ireland, improving existing criteria already based on OR modelling by incorporating a "rurality" feature in the model.…”

Multi-objective home health care routing: a variable neighborhood search method

“…A robust estimation method is considered to solve the problem and a case study is conducted in the UK. The HHC is extended by Hindle et al [ 29 , 30 ] considering resource allocation and reducing travel costs. Trautsamwieser et al [ 52 ] present a HHC problem where mandatory working and rest times of nurses are added to general assumptions of the problem.…”

Plas'O'Soins: An Interactive ICT Platform to Support Care Planning and Coordination within Home-Based Care

“…Main researches in the field of home health care, concerning routing and scheduling problems which are an instance of VRP problems, started around 2000 with, for example, the works of Hindle et al [19,20] concerning resource allocation and travel cost approximations.…”