Maximal Covering Location Models with Partial Coverage for Second-Level Specialized Health Care Services

Abstract: Abstract: The lack of access to second-level health care services in developing countries is primarily due to the scarcity of facilities and the limited investment of resources. Access to these services directly relates to the distance that the population travels to these facilities. In that sense, a maximal covering location problem can be helpful to maximize the impact of decisions related to the location of new health care units. In this paper, we develop integer programming models to guide the decision of location new second-level services in a network of public hospitals. The partial coverage and variable radius are considered in the models to assess a large territory with dierent characteristics and populations. A case study is being conducted in the Mexican public health care system to assess ve specialized health care services. The obtained results evidence the benet of using optimization tools in the resource planning of health care services. The lack of access to second-level health care services in developing countries is primarily due to the scarcity of facilities and the limited investment of resources. Access to these services directly relates to the distance that the population travels to these facilities. In that sense, a maximal covering location problem can be helpful to maximize the impact of decisions related to the location of new health care units. In this paper, we develop integer programming models to guide the decision of locating new second-level services in a network of public hospitals. The partial coverage and variable radius are considered in the models to assess a large territory with different characteristics and populations. A case study is conducted in the Mexican public health care system to assess five specialized health care services. The obtained results evidence the benefit of using optimization tools in the resource planning of health care services.