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Exploring optimal air ambulance base locations in Norway using advanced mathematical modelling.
Jo Røislien1,2,3, Pieter L van den Berg4, Thomas Lindner2,5
1Department of Health Studies, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway.
Summary
Optimizing air ambulance base locations in Norway could improve emergency medical services. Nine strategically placed bases can cover the entire population within 45 minutes, enhancing healthcare access.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Operations Research
- Geographic Information Systems
Background:
- Norway operates a nationwide physician-staffed air ambulance service with 12 bases.
- The country faces challenges due to significant geographical variations in population density.
- Effective deployment of air ambulance resources is crucial for timely emergency medical response.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate optimal locations for air ambulance bases in Norway.
- To determine the number of bases required to cover specific population fractions within defined time thresholds.
- To evaluate the impact of different population data resolutions on location optimization.
Main Methods:
- Utilized high-resolution population data for Norway (2015) at a 1km x 1km cell level.
- Employed the maximal covering location problem (MCLP) facility location optimization model.
- Analyzed scenarios for 30- and 45-minute response time thresholds, considering both greenfield and existing base structures.
- Assessed potential information loss using municipality-level data for reanalysis.
Main Results:
- Nine optimally placed bases can achieve 100% population coverage within a 45-minute response time.
- A 45-minute threshold allows 90% population coverage with just four bases.
- Achieving full coverage with the current base structure necessitates adding or relocating two bases.
- Reducing the response time threshold to 30 minutes approximately doubles the required number of bases.
- Municipality-level data provided results comparable to fine-grid analysis.
Conclusions:
- Nine optimally located air ambulance bases can ensure nationwide population coverage within 45 minutes.
- Relocating or adding one to two bases can significantly improve the efficiency of the current air ambulance network.
- Municipality-level data is a sufficiently accurate resolution for optimizing air ambulance base locations.
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