Ambulance

Focus on Performance Optimization
two main software modules: Optima Predict
and Optima Live. Optima Live is made up of
four submodules.
Optima Predict
Optima Predict is the more static version,
which predicts the response time within an
area, considering the number of vehicles and
posts plus historical data of deployments.
By changing the variables of vehicles and
posts, one can create the optimal distribution
of vehicles over the area. This optimal
distribution can be summarised in a post
plan top 20, indicating in which order the
post should be populated with ambulances.
The most critical location is placed at the
top.
Optima Live
Optima Live is a real-time decision support
solution that provides an operational picture
of the live situation for the service area. It
can also predict how this actual situation will
evolve, considering the known deployment
history for the region. The Optima software’s
database contains preloaded historical data.
Optima Live in AZRR has for main modules:
Real Time View, Look Ahead, Deployment
and Dispatch. Real Time View presents the
current position of each vehicle. Colour
coding depicts the ability to service the
patient within 15 minutes (the Dutch
standard). Look Ahead shows the coverage
Optima Predict is an interactive strategic
planning solution that gives users the
ability to generate evidence for strategic
and operational decisions, quantifying the
impact of any changes in response time
performance, vehicle utilisation and other
key operational metrics. The model uses
historic data to produce a highly accurate
simulation model of the operation; a
user can then make changes to the
operation and evaluate the impact of these
changes against the general performance
requirement of being on time in 95 % of
the acute deployments. For example, by
changing the variables of vehicles and posts,
one can create the optimal distribution
of vehicles over the area. This optimal
distribution can be summarised in a post
plan top 20, indicating in which order the
post should be populated with ambulances.
The most critical location is placed at the
top.
as it will be 20 minutes from now and
indicates where to expect new incidents,
based on historical data. The third module,
Deployment, combines Real Time View and
Look Ahead and the post plans to propose
deployments while maintaining an optimal
distribution of the vehicles across the region.
It indicates which posts lack resources,
attracting the dispatcher’s attention using a
red-coloured symbol, urging the dispatcher
to assign a vehicle to this location (see
picture below at the left side, underresourced
locations in red). The Deployment
module also suggests corrective actions to
restore the desired situation, by displaying
action arrows.
The last module, Dispatch, proposes the
deployment of a specific vehicle as most
suitable to respond to an incident. This
deployment proposal is generated very
quickly, taking all constraints, including
maintaining service area coverage and
response time, into account. It can directly be
used for deployment.
Government Funding
In the Netherlands, the ambulance budget
is dictated by the government. For every
region, there is one organisation with an
exclusive licence for the ambulance service.
In our region, AZRR has obtained the
licence. The budget used to be primarily
output-oriented but has evolved towards
a lump sum budget based on locations and
performance (95% of acute deployments
within 15 minutes).
The picture shows a screen shot of Optima Deployment. On the left-hand side is the real-time view, showing a
location in red with insufficient resourcing of vehicles. On the right-hand side, Optima’s Look Ahead is shown. It
presents the situation as anticipated 20 minutes into the future, with arrows indicating the required moves to
reach that goal. In this example, ambulance 116 should be moved from the location “Haringvlietdam” to the
location “Goedereede”.
Book your place at EMS2016 now at: www.ems2016.org
Working with Optima
We started working with Optima Predict
in 2012, to increase our understanding of
what the optimal distribution of posts and
vehicles across the service area would be. In
our budgeting process, it is very important to
be able to recalculate the budget as granted
to us by the government. The government
budget dictates how many costs we are
allowed to make, based on the regionspecific
indicators such as demographics and
infrastructural complexity, keeping in mind
that 95% of the acute deployments have
to be coped with within 15 minutes (12
minutes driving time plus 3 minutes response
time).
One output from Optima Predict is a Post
Plan, summarising the optimal location of
posts and vehicles; this plan indicates the
Spring 2016 | Ambulancetoday
Winter 2014 | Ambulancetoday3 51