Maximising the coverage of emergency medical services with time-dependent demand restrictions: a case study in Shanghai

Abstract

In many Asian cities, periodic changes in the demand for emergency medical services are concerned, but few existing studies have discussed the time-dependent factor in delivering these services. This study proposes a formula for locating emergency medical services, in which factors of varying demand, time-dependence, cost and facility capacity are considered. A real case is investigated in order to understand the impact of time-dependence on decision making. The case study suggests different solutions depending on whether the design is service-oriented or cost-oriented. The analysis also indicates that the limitations on demand complicate the making of decisions to optimise service locations, e.g., more service stations are required. By creating a design for allocating service sites based on demand nodes in a real case, this study provides a framework for analysing the location problem when demand changes.