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Operations Research Improves Quality and Efficiency in Home Care

Author

Listed:
  • Patrik Eveborn

    (Optimal Solutions AB, SE-58330 Linköping, Sweden)

  • Mikael Rönnqvist

    (Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration, NO-5045 Bergen, Norway)

  • Helga Einarsdóttir

    (City of Stockholm, SE-10535 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Mats Eklund

    (TietoEnator, SE-73821 Kista, Sweden)

  • Karin Lidén

    (Norberg Municipality, SE-73821 Norberg, Sweden)

  • Marie Almroth

    (Linköping Municipality, SE-58181 Linköping, Sweden)

Abstract

Elder care systems are facing increased costs, primarily because the elderly constitute a growing percentage of the population. Sweden publicly finances such systems; in 2005, the cost to taxpayers on a national level was 8.8 billion euros ($13 billion). The many customized aspects of scheduling home care workers to assist elderly and disabled citizens with their varying needs contribute to these costs. Laps Care , a system that was developed in 2002, uses operations research modeling to eliminate the manual planning of home care unit assignments. More than 200 units/organizations in Swedish municipalities use Laps Care each day to plan staff scheduling and routing for 4,000 home care workers. The system has increased operational efficiency by 10--15 percent; this corresponds to an annual savings of 20--30 million euros ($30--$45 million). In addition, the quality of home care for elderly citizens has improved. The City of Stockholm, with its 800,000 inhabitants, adopted Laps Care in 2006 and started a full implementation and rollout during 2008, thus adding 800 units and 15,000 home care workers to the system. The savings for the City of Stockholm will be 20--30 million euros ($30--$45 million).

Suggested Citation

  • Patrik Eveborn & Mikael Rönnqvist & Helga Einarsdóttir & Mats Eklund & Karin Lidén & Marie Almroth, 2009. "Operations Research Improves Quality and Efficiency in Home Care," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 39(1), pages 18-34, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orinte:v:39:y:2009:i:1:p:18-34
    DOI: 10.1287/inte.1080.0411
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. G. Clarke & J. W. Wright, 1964. "Scheduling of Vehicles from a Central Depot to a Number of Delivery Points," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 12(4), pages 568-581, August.
    2. Sachidanand V. Begur & David M. Miller & Jerry R. Weaver, 1997. "An Integrated Spatial DSS for Scheduling and Routing Home-Health-Care Nurses," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 27(4), pages 35-48, August.
    3. Ernst, A. T. & Jiang, H. & Krishnamoorthy, M. & Sier, D., 2004. "Staff scheduling and rostering: A review of applications, methods and models," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 153(1), pages 3-27, February.
    4. Eveborn, Patrik & Flisberg, Patrik & Ronnqvist, Mikael, 2006. "Laps Care--an operational system for staff planning of home care," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 171(3), pages 962-976, June.
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