A hybrid approach for integrated healthcare cooperative purchasing and supply chain configuration

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2014

Authors

Nazaré Rego (Author) FEUP; João Claro (Author) FEUP; Jorge Pinho de Sousa (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Health Care Management Science

Vol. 17 No. 4

Pages: 303-320

ISSN: 1386-9620

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 35 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 49 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology

CORDIS: Technological sciences > Engineering > Industrial engineering ; Social sciences > Economics > Management studies > Industrial management ; Social sciences > Economics > Management studies > Hospital management

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-009-ZJZ

DOI: 10.1007/s10729-013-9262-y

Abstract (EN): This paper presents an innovative and flexible approach for recommending the number, size and composition of purchasing groups, for a set of hospitals willing to cooperate, while minimising their shared supply chain costs. This approach makes the financial impact of the various cooperation alternatives transparent to the group and the individual participants, opening way to a negotiation process concerning the allocation of the cooperation costs and gains. The approach was developed around a hybrid Variable Neighbourhood Search (VNS)/Tabu Search metaheuristic, resulting in a flexible tool that can be applied to purchasing groups with different characteristics, namely different operative and market circumstances, and to supply chains with different topologies and atypical cost characteristics. Preliminary computational results show the potential of the approach in solving a broad range of problems.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 18