Specialized healthcare network redeployment maximizing multiple stakeholders satisfaction using ant colony optimization

This paper presents a mathematical model for the redeployment of a specialized healthcare network in a region. Two type of stakeholders are taken into account: patients and health authorities. The problem consists in: (i) redesigning the distribution of medical services in existing healthcare centers minimizing opening costs, and (ii) assigning patients to centers providing required services minimizing travelling costs. The problem is similar to a cell formation problem. An ant colony optimization method is proposed to solve the problem. Efficiency of the approach has been proved via theoretical testing. Real test-bed problem about Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) network in the Que¿bec province (Canada) is also considered for validation purpose. Several solutions are proposed, as well as a tool allowing to assess the compromises between redeployment costs and patient travel costs.