Abstract
The improvement of transport and logistics performance of Emergency Medical Services (EMSs) systems has been mainly addressed through mathematical modelling, operations research, and simulation methods. This paper proposes an alternative and/or complementary improvement approach based on the adaptation and simultaneous deployment of lean thinking and Theory of Constraint (TOC) methods and tools. The paper briefly reviews key aspects of the application of lean in the logistics and healthcare industries and conceptually develops the proposed lean-TOC approach. The approach is then tested, through an individual detail case study, in the EMS transport and logistic system of the Red Cross operating in the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Mexico. The results obtained from the case study suggest that the proposed systematic lean-TOC approach may be an effective alternative and/or complement to mathematical modelling, operations research, and simulation methods to improve EMS transport and logistics operations.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 253-272 |
| Number of pages | 20 |
| Journal | International Journal of Logistics Research and Applications |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 4 May 2019 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2018, © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Management Information Systems
- Control and Systems Engineering
- Information Systems
- Computer Science Applications
- Management Science and Operations Research