Management science approaches to the determination of urban ambulance requirements

Abstract

This research paper summarizes a systematic approach to the determination of urban ambulance requirements. Quantitative measures of ambulance system performance and alternative system configurations were developed, and these were examined for the city of Detroit, Michigan. Sampling techniques and data analysis procedures were used to develop an analytical model of the Detroit emergency recovery system, and this model was then utilized to predict the performance of alternative system configurations under varying operating policies. Results and conclusions are presented for the specific system under consideration; extensions of these techniques to other urban emergency systems are also suggested.