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Resource planning for ambulance services in mass casualty incidents: a DES-based policy model

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Abstract

Due to an increasing number of mass casualty incidents, which are generally complex and unique in nature, we suggest that decision makers consider operations research-based policy models to help prepare emergency staff for improved planning and scheduling at the emergency site. We thus develop a discrete-event simulation policy model, which is currently being applied by disaster-responsive ambulance services in Austria. By evaluating realistic scenarios, our policy model is shown to enhance the scheduling and outcomes at operative and online levels. The proposed scenarios range from small, simple, and urban to rather large, complex, remote mass casualty emergencies. Furthermore, the organization of an advanced medical post can be improved on a strategic level to increase rescue quality, including enhanced survival of injured victims. In particular, we consider a realistic mass casualty incident at a brewery relative to other exemplary disasters. Based on a variety of such situations, we derive general policy implications at both the macro (e.g., strategic rescue policy) and micro (e.g., operative and online scheduling strategies at the emergency site) levels.

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Acknowledgements

We thank a large number of bachelors, masters, and PhD students, mainly at the University of Vienna, as well as practitioners, staff of the Red Cross and the Samaritan Organization, and members of other organizations, all of whom played our disaster policy game, and contributed significantly to the ongoing improvement of the underlying model. Special thanks go to Natasa Peric and Teresa Herdlicka, masters students at the University of Vienna who set up a large experiment designed to investigate the simulation game. They recruited, and tutored, 96 players under the co-supervision of Prof. Dr. Ulrike Leopold-Wildburger from the University of Graz, an Austrian expert on experimental games. The authors also wish to express their gratitude to the editors of HCMS, and three anonymous referees, for their most valuable comments and pertinent suggestions that led to improvements in both the presentation and content of this paper. Special thanks are due to Barnett R. Parker who helped us with a professional edit of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Innovation and Technology Management, University of Vienna, Bruenner Str. 72, 1210, Vienna, Austria

    Marion S. Rauner

  2. Department of External Accounting, University of Vienna, Bruenner Str. 72, 1210, Vienna, Austria

    Michaela M. Schaffhauser-Linzatti

  3. Greinergasse 22-24/2/5, 1190, Vienna, Austria

    Helmut Niessner

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  1. Marion S. Rauner
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  2. Michaela M. Schaffhauser-Linzatti
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  3. Helmut Niessner
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Correspondence to Marion S. Rauner.

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Rauner, M.S., Schaffhauser-Linzatti, M.M. & Niessner, H. Resource planning for ambulance services in mass casualty incidents: a DES-based policy model. Health Care Manag Sci 15, 254–269 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10729-012-9198-7

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