Health operational research — A selective overview

Abstract The paper presents a selective overview of recent Health Operational Research in a number of application areas, both strategic and tactical. Resource allocation models and hospital size are covered under the strategic planning heading and ambulance service planning, hospital scheduling and appointment systems, stock control, paramedical departments and nurse staffing management under the tactical planning heading. Within the U.K., the major focus of health O.R. work has apparently moved away from hospital-based tactical studies, towards more broadly based strategic studies. Nevertheless, tactical studies probably still predominante. In 1977, about two-thirds of ongoing health O.R. studies were principally focussed on aspects of hospital services. The paper presents a mixed account. On the one hand, there are a number of success stories; however, in our view, O.R. scientists working in the health field are still spending too much time pursuing theory at the expense of practice. We hope that this paper will help in some small way to change the balance.

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