5,917 research outputs found

    Modeling And Optimization Of Non-Profit Hospital Call Centers With Service Blending

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    This dissertation focuses on the operations problems in non-profit hospital call centers with inbound and outbound calls service blending. First, the routing policy for inbound and outbound calls is considered. The objective is to improve the system utilization under constraints of service quality and operators\u27 quantity. A collection of practical staffing assignment methods, separating and mixing staffing policy are evaluated. Erlang C queuing model is used to decide the minimum number of operators required by inbound calls. Theoretical analysis and numerical experiments illustrate that through dynamically assigning the inbound and outbound calls to operators under optimal threshold policy, mixing staffing policy is efficient to balance the system utilization and service quality. Numerical experiments based on real-life data demonstrate how this method can be applied in practice. Second, we study the staffing shift planning problem based on the inbound and outbound calls routing policies. A mathematical programming model is developed, based on a hospital call center with one kind of inbound calls and multiple kinds of outbound calls. The objective is to minimize the staffing numbers, by deciding the shift setting and workload allocation. The inbound calls service level and staffing utilization are taken into consideration in the constraints. Numerical experiments based on actual operational data are included. Results show that the model is effective to optimize the shift planning and hence reduce the call centers\u27 cost. Third, we model the staffing shift planning problem for a hospital call center with two kinds of service lines. Each kind of service is delivered through both inbound calls and outbound calls. The inbound calls can be transferred between these two service lines. A mathematical programming model is developed. The objective is to minimize the staffing cost, by deciding the shift setting and workload allocation. The inbound calls service level and staffing utilization are taken into consideration in the constraints. Numerical experiments are carried out based on actual operational data. Results show that the model is effective to reduce the call centers\u27 labor cost

    Voices for 2020: Ending Family Homelessness

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    Ending family homelessness will require a wide variety of community-based strategies to ensure that every member of each family experiencing homelessness is offered the services and supports they need to thrive. Following engagement with homeless families and health and human service providers; a review of the research literature and best practices in addressing the needs of homeless families; and completion of a local environmental scan, several strategies were identified for local action to end family homelessness

    Staffing to Maximize Profit for Call Centers with Impatient and Repeat-Calling Customers

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    Motivated by call center practice, we study the optimal staffing of many-server queues with impatient and repeat-calling customers. A call center is modeled as an M/M/s+M queue, which is developed to a behavioral queuing model in which customers come and go based on their satisfaction with waiting time. We explicitly take into account customer repeat behavior, which implies that satisfied customers might return and have an impact on the arrival rate. Optimality is defined as the number of agents that maximize revenues net of staffing costs, and we account for the characteristic that revenues are a direct function of staffing. Finally, we use numerical experiments to make certain comparisons with traditional models that do not consider customer repeat behavior. Furthermore, we indicate how managers might allocate staffing optimally with various customer behavior mechanisms

    Regional Service Planning for the Coastal Bend

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    42 pages. Prepared with: Corpus Christi Metropolitan Planning Organization, Texas Department of Transportation

    Ready or Not? Protecting the Public's Health From Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism, 2009

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    Based on ten indicators, assesses progress in the readiness of states, federal government, and hospitals to respond to public health emergencies, with a focus on the H1N1 flu. Outlines improvements and concerns in funding, accountability, and other areas

    Massachusetts Community Mediation Center Grant Program: Fiscal Year 2014 Report & Evaluation

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    The Community Mediation Center Grant Program, funded by the commonwealth and administered by the state’s office of dispute resolution, was established to “promote the broad use of community mediation in all regions of the state” by awarding operating grants to eligible community mediation centers. This annual report describes the progress made in broadening access to community mediation by the grant program under the challenge of reduced state funding in FY 2014. Due to the funding cut, fewer centers were funded in FY 2014 compared to FY 2013, which reduced the quantity of services provided. However, the amount of money per grant was maintained thereby enabling the 14 funded centers to preserve their level of productivity and maintain their operations. These centers served their communities by providing mediation services to help settle disputes, contributed to the growth of social capacity for conflict resolution in their communities, and engaged in efforts to raise public awareness of community mediation as an alternative approach to resolving conflict. To achieve long-term sustainability and to broaden access to community mediation across the state, however, further effort is needed from community mediation centers and the CMC Grant Program, which in turn, requires continued and increased state funding and support

    State of Arizona emergency response and recovery plan

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    tableOfContents: Introduction -- Basic plan -- Emergency support function annexes -- Support annexes -- Incident annexes -- General Informationabstract: The State Emergency Response and Recovery Plan (SERRP) is a guide to how the State of Arizona conducts all hazards response. It is built upon National Response Framework as a scalable, flexible, and adaptable coordinating structures to align key roles and responsibilities, linking all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector. It is intended to capture specific authorities and best practices for managing incidents that range from the serious but purely local, to large-scale terrorist attacks or catastrophic natural disaster

    Joint Labor-Management Training Programs for Healthcare Worker Advancement and Retention

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    [Excerpt] Filling vacancies and retaining workers in shortage areas such as nursing and other allied health occupations remains a challenge in today’s healthcare industry. At the same time, low-wage workers in the healthcare industry often lack the educational credentials necessary to move into higher-paying occupations. This study seeks to understand the role of multi-employer joint labor-management healthcare worker training in meeting the needs of employers for career ladder advancement in their incumbent workforce. The study focuses on hospital employers and their experience with strategies for the advancement of low-wage and entry level workers into healthcare career pathways

    Second Harvest (SH) prepares for the next big disaster

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    This project will be an emergency preparedness manual to assist the Second Harvest Food Bank in preparing for disaster. By interviewing key individuals of the Food Bank, I will determine the baseline knowledge of these individuals. Through research, a literature review, and contacting local agencies I was able to determine the benefits of disaster preparedness as well as what worked in previous disasters including the Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989. This emergency preparedness manual empowers Second Harvest staff to better prepare themselves and their network of relief agencies. Furthermore disaster mitigation strategies demonstrates disaster preparedness as a priority to better serve the needs of the community
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