Optimizing Emergency Medical Service Structures Using a Rule-Based Discrete Event Simulation-A Practitioner's Point of View

Many studies in research deal with optimizing emergency medical services (EMS) on both the operational and the strategic level. It is the purpose of this method-oriented article to explain the major features of “rule-based discrete event simulation” (rule-based DES), which we developed independently in Germany and Switzerland. Our rule-based DES addresses questions concerning the location and relocation of ambulances, dispatching and routing policies, and EMS interplay with other players in prehospital care. We highlight three typical use cases from a practitioner’s perspective and go into different countries’ peculiarities. We show how research results are applied to EMS and healthcare organizations to simulate and optimize specific regions in Germany and Switzerland with their strong federal structures. The rule-based DES serves as basis for decision support to improve regional emergency services’ efficiency without increasing cost. Finally, all simulation-based methods suggest normative solutions and optimize EMS’ performance within given healthcare system structures. We argue that interactions between EMS, emergency departments, and public healthcare agencies are crucial to further improving effectiveness, efficiency, and quality.

Cooperative Sensing Data Collection and Distribution with Packet Collision Avoidance in Mobile Long-Thin Networks

Mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) have gained a lot of interests in research communities for the infrastructure-less self-organizing nature. A MANET with fleet cyclists using smartphones forms a two-tier mobile long-thin network (MLTN) along a common cycling route, where the high-tier network is composed of 3G/LTE interfaces and the low-tier network is composed of IEEE 802.11 interfaces. The low-tier network may consist of several path-like networks. This work investigates cooperative sensing data collection and distribution with packet collision avoidance in a two-tier MLTN. As numbers of cyclists upload their sensing data and download global fleet information frequently, serious bandwidth and latency problems may result if all members rely on their high-tier interfaces. We designed and analyzed a cooperative framework consisting of a distributed grouping mechanism, a group merging and splitting method, and a sensing data aggregation scheme. Through cooperation between the two tiers, the proposed framework outperforms existing works by significantly reducing the 3G/LTE data transmission and the number of 3G/LTE connections.

On the use of evidence in humanitarian logistics research

This paper presents the reflections of the authors on the differences between the language and the approach of practitioners and academics to humanitarian logistics problems. Based on a long-term project on fleet management in the humanitarian sector, involving both large international humanitarian organisations and academics, it discusses how differences in language and approach to such problems may create a lacuna that impedes trust. In addition, the paper provides insights into how academic research evidence adapted to practitioner language can be used to bridge the gap. When it is communicated appropriately, evidence strengthens trust between practitioners and academics, which is critical for long-term projects. Once practitioners understand the main trade-offs included in academic research, they can supply valuable feedback to motivate new academic research. Novel research problems promote innovation in the use of traditional academic methods, which should result in a win-win situation: relevant solutions for practice and advances in academic knowledge.