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Game theory to enhance stock management of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 outbreak

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  • Khaled Abedrabboh
  • Matthias Pilz
  • Zaid Al-Fagih
  • Othman S Al-Fagih
  • Jean-Christophe Nebel
  • Luluwah Al-Fagih

Abstract

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare facilities have suffered from shortages in medical resources, particularly in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). In this paper, we propose a game-theoretic approach to schedule PPE orders among healthcare facilities. In this PPE game, each independent healthcare facility optimises its own storage utilisation in order to keep its PPE cost at a minimum. Such a model can reduce peak demand considerably when applied to a variable PPE consumption profile. Experiments conducted for NHS England regions using actual data confirm that the challenge of securing PPE supply during disasters such as COVID-19 can be eased if proper stock management procedures are adopted. These procedures can include early stockpiling, increasing storage capacities and implementing measures that can prolong the time period between successive infection waves, such as social distancing measures. Simulation results suggest that the provision of PPE dedicated storage space can be a viable solution to avoid straining PPE supply chains in case a second wave of COVID-19 infections occurs.

Suggested Citation

  • Khaled Abedrabboh & Matthias Pilz & Zaid Al-Fagih & Othman S Al-Fagih & Jean-Christophe Nebel & Luluwah Al-Fagih, 2021. "Game theory to enhance stock management of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 outbreak," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(2), pages 1-21, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0246110
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246110
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Elodie Adida & Po-Ching DeLaurentis & Mark Lawley, 2011. "Hospital stockpiling for disaster planning," IISE Transactions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(5), pages 348-362.
    2. Hammerstein, Peter & Selten, Reinhard, 1994. "Game theory and evolutionary biology," Handbook of Game Theory with Economic Applications, in: R.J. Aumann & S. Hart (ed.), Handbook of Game Theory with Economic Applications, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 28, pages 929-993, Elsevier.
    3. Peng Sun & Liu Yang & Francis de Véricourt, 2009. "Selfish Drug Allocation for Containing an International Influenza Pandemic at the Onset," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 57(6), pages 1320-1332, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Chelsea Greene & Zelda B. Zabinsky & David Sarley & Laila Akhlaghi, 2024. "Inventory and order management for healthcare commodities during a pandemic," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 337(1), pages 105-133, June.

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