APPLICATION OF A SIMULATION MODEL TO TEST ALTERNATIVE RURAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS

THE DISCREPANCY OF HEALTH CARE PROVIDED TO RURAL AND URBAN AREAS HAS CENTERED ON SOARING COSTS, UNEVEN QUALITY, AND LIMITED AVAILABILITY. DUE TO ECONOMIES OF SCALE ASSOCIATED WITH THE INCREASING SOPHISTICATION, SPECIALIZATION, AND COST OF HEALTH SERVICES, PEOPLE, MONEY, RESEARCH EQUIPMENT, MAJOR MEDICAL CENTERS, AND AMBULATORY SERVICES ARE BEING CONCENTRATED IN URBAN AREAS. HOWEVER, IT IS JUST AS IMPORTANT TO THE LOW POPULATION DENSITY RURAL AREAS TO HAVE AN ADEQUATE LEVEL OF MEDICAL CARE AVAILABLE TO THEM. TO IMPROVE THE TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES PROVIDED TO RURAL AREAS, WE DEVELOPED A STOCHASTIC SIMULATION MODEL TO TEST ALTERNATIVE SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE. THESE ALTERNATIVES EXAMINED THE IMPACT OF CHANGING THE NUMBER AND LOCATION OF GROUND AMBULANCES WITHIN A RURAL AREA, INTRODUCING NEW TECHNOLOGY (HELICOPTERS) TO THE MEDICAL CARE SYSTEM, AND UTILIZING THE HELICOPTER FOR SUPPLEMENTAL FUNCTIONS TO HELP OFF-SET THE COSTS OF THE SYSTEM. FOR THE HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, CASE STUDY AREA, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE ADDITION OF A HELICOPTER TO THE EMERGENCY CARE SYSTEM IMPROVED THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SYSTEM BUT INCREASED SYSTEM COSTS. ALSO, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT FEWER GROUND AMBULANCES COULD PROVIDE AT LEAST THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE (WITH OR WITHOUT A HELICOPTER) AS THAT NOW BEING PROVIDED BY AN EXCESSIVE NUMBER OF GROUND AMBULANCES. RELOCATING AND REDUCING THE NUMBER OF GROUND AMBULANCES WITHIN THE STUDY AREA RESULTED IN A HIGHER LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE THAN SIMPLY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF GROUND AMBULANCES WHILE KEEPING VEHICLE BASE STATIONS FIXED. FINALLY, THE INDIVIDUAL VEHICLE UTILIZATION RATES FOR BOTH GROUND AMBULANCE AND HELICOPTER WERE MARKEDLY IMPROVED WHEN VEHICLES WERE RELOCATED AND WHEN HELICOPTERS PROVIDED SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES OTHER THAN PURELY EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE TO RURAL AREAS.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1973/450/450-004.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309021820
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Motorist Services. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Gochenour Jr, Donald L
  • Neumann, Edward S
  • Wegmann, Frederick J
• Conference:
  • 52nd Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1973-1-22 to 1973-1-26
• Publication Date: 1973

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 36-45
• Monograph Title: Motorist communications and services
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 450
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Costs; Disasters and emergency operations; Emergency vehicles; Hazards and emergency operations; Helicopters; Rural areas; Simulation
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00222328
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309021820
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Feb 12 1974 12:00AM