Life-Saving Optimization: Leveraging Healthcare Analytics to Drive Efficiency and Equity in Healthcare Systems
November 20, 2025

Gurobi is pleased to host a webinar by Dr. Paul Harper, Dr. Daniel Gartner and Dr. Charlie Marshall from Cardiff University, showcasing how Operational Research and Analytics methodologies can be applied to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in modern healthcare. The Cardiff team will demonstrate how these approaches can drive substantial improvements in both operational efficiency and service equity, highlighting three high-impact applications of mathematical programming across diverse healthcare contexts.

The first case study focuses on service accessibility and equity, featuring a location planning model designed to strategically position mental health practitioners. This model targets underserved school children with ADHD, optimising the placement of facilities and practitioners to maximise coverage and minimise travel barriers for vulnerable populations.

The second application addresses operational efficiency through an advanced scheduling model built on integer programming. This model integrates the dynamic constraints of a hybrid service delivery system—combining online and in-person appointments—to optimise resource utilisation, reduce patient wait times, and ensure balanced workloads for healthcare staff.

Finally, the presentation explores strategic capacity planning at the multi-hospital level. Using integer programming, the team demonstrates how large-scale optimisation can inform the effective allocation of resources—such as beds, staff, and equipment—across an entire regional network. This enables decision-makers to anticipate demand surges and maintain system-wide resilience.

Collectively, these studies illustrate the transformative potential of moving from descriptive to prescriptive analytics, offering practical, data-driven solutions that enhance patient care, operational performance, and the long-term sustainability of healthcare systems.