Providing an optimal method for dispatching an ambulance based on complex networks and artificial intelligence
Subject Areas : Generalمهدی زرکش زاده 1 , Zainabolhoda Heshmati 2 , Hadi Zare 3 , Mehdi Teimouri 4
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Abstract :
The goal of emergency medical services is to reduce deaths and complications caused by diseases and injuries. Rapid dispatch of emergency services and reduced response time lead to increased survival rates. Response time is one of the important criteria for measuring the efficiency of emergency medical services. The usual method of sending ambulances is to send the nearest available unit, which pays attention to efficiency in the short term. One of the methods that has been recently mentioned in the field of ambulance dispatch is based on the analysis of complex networks. The purpose of this method is to send an ambulance to a call that is more central than other calls, which leads to better efficiency in the long run. Other methods in dispatching an ambulance are based on finding the best suitable route for service cars, and the time complexity of these methods is very high. In this article, using a hybrid approach and applying centrality criteria from complex network analysis and search methods based on artificial intelligence, an optimal and innovative method is presented to reduce the response time of emergency services. In addition, in the proposed method, the emergency priority of calls is also considered, which is an important variable in decisions. The proposed method has less limitations than the previous methods and the extensive simulation results confirm the significant improvement of this method compared to the previous methods such as the centrality method and the nearest neighbor method.
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