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Review of Operations Research Tools and Techniques Used for Influenza Pandemic Planning

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Operations Research and Health Care Policy

Part of the book series: International Series in Operations Research & Management Science ((ISOR,volume 190))

Abstract

Many public health officials are concerned about a possible influenza pandemic. The three pandemics in the twentieth century killed between 50 and 100 million people and the 2009 H1N1 “Swine Flu” exposed vulnerabilities that we still have to influenza epidemics. Operations research tools and techniques can analyze public health interventions to mitigate the impact of pandemic influenza. In this chapter we review an array of examples of how operations research tools can be used to improve pandemic influenza prevention and response. From this, we derive insights into the appropriateness of certain techniques for answering specific questions and we propose preliminary policy recommendations. We then discuss opportunities for future research.

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Acknowledgment

I would like to acknowledge my colleague Nayer Khazeni for introducing me to pandemic influenza policy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    David W. Hutton

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  1. David W. Hutton
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Correspondence to David W. Hutton .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario, London, N6A 3K7, Ontario, Canada

    Gregory S. Zaric

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Hutton, D.W. (2013). Review of Operations Research Tools and Techniques Used for Influenza Pandemic Planning. In: Zaric, G. (eds) Operations Research and Health Care Policy. International Series in Operations Research & Management Science, vol 190. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6507-2_11

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