Acceptance of Operations Research/Systems Analysis in the Health Care Field

Numerous attempts have been made to incorporate Operations Research (OR) techniques in the management of health care facilities but, for various reasons, success has only been modest. This paper outlines the rationale utilized to develop an OR department at the VA Hospital in Brentwood, California, and describes two studies undertaken by the OR department. The discussion includes the types of projects that should be undertaken, and suggested ways to implement study recommendations. The overall progress of the OR department in improving organizational efficiency is evaluated at the end of the paper.