Title: Using Optimization Tools to Improve Policy Decisions and Implementation: Obstacles and Potential Solutions for Health Policy
Abstract: An optimization modeling approach has been gradually used as a guide to evidencebased policy making and implementation process in many national and regional governments. Not only academic researchers but also practical policy analysts become more interested in developing and applying optimization tools, such as operational research, location models, systems analysis, decision science, and statistical simulation, in order to enhance effectiveness and transparency of decision-making and implementation process in a variety of public policy matters, such as health policy. However, it is widely reported that policymakers and planners who have actually used mathematical tools usually faced many obstacles to successful application which often overshadowed the benefits of the tools. Due to such obstacles, there has been no widespread adoption or implementation of mathematical tools in policy process despite the increasing number of academic publications dealing with mathematical modeling for public health problems. The implementation problem is even more critical when applied to the contexts of developing countries. This paper discusses how the optimization tools could best be used in the actual health planning processes in developing countries. It reviews the key literature to examine how mathematical tools have been used in a variety of different planning practices in developing countries, such as economic development planning. This literature review summarizes the potential obstacles to adopting and implementing mathematical tools and the recommendations for overcoming such obstacles. Based on the literature review, it discusses how to put the mathematical tool into practice in vaccination planning processes in China. In particular, it highlights how to present the potential contributions of the mathematical tool to vaccination policy-makers in China for the design of vaccination strategies which would be best for the entire society. It is hoped that these efforts help facilitate the successful adoption and utilization of this tool in the national vaccination planning process in China and in other developing countries. WORKING DRAFT – PLEASE DO NOT CITE OR QUOTE DOHYEONG KIM
Publication Year: 2012
Publication Date: 2012-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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