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Location of a hierarchy of HIV/AIDS test laboratories in an inbound hub network: case study in South Africa

Location of a hierarchy of HIV/AIDS test laboratories in an inbound hub network: case study in South Africa
Location of a hierarchy of HIV/AIDS test laboratories in an inbound hub network: case study in South Africa
HIV/AIDS test laboratories in South Africa face growing demand for high quality, timely and efficient testing of blood samples in all regions of the country, however rural. The three main tests for HIV/AIDS, namely CD4, HIV Viral Load and Infant PCR, are provided in a hierarchy of levels: CD4 is the most frequently-needed test, with most laboratory coverage needed. HIV Viral Load is less frequently called for, and Infant PCR is the rarest test to be done, with correspondingly fewest laboratories needed. The National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) of South Africa operates an inbound hub network for collection of blood samples and transfer to laboratories equipped to carry out the required tests: test results are transmitted electronically, so there is no outbound or return transport. This paper describes the development of modelling carried out over several years of collaboration with NHLS to advise decision makers on an appropriate and efficient hub network. We present mixed integer programs to find efficient locations for both network hubs and locations for all levels of laboratory testing. Novel features include variable or range constraints on maximum travel times to test locations.
0160-5682
1068-1081
Smith, Honora
1eaef6a6-4b9c-4997-9163-137b956c06b5
Cakebread, Daniel
b8e2ebd3-5537-41de-8f16-b951e8097dad
Battarra, Maria
5089e911-0f10-46f6-8fd6-47116db35d1d
Shelbourne, Ben
f91c8206-978b-4f63-bba1-03087a4eaf73
Cassim, Naseem
ac3edcfd-8cf4-4f3a-a914-083be38c239b
Coetzee, Lindi
dd1c0f35-2c27-4236-877f-2c0ade332ea6
Smith, Honora
1eaef6a6-4b9c-4997-9163-137b956c06b5
Cakebread, Daniel
b8e2ebd3-5537-41de-8f16-b951e8097dad
Battarra, Maria
5089e911-0f10-46f6-8fd6-47116db35d1d
Shelbourne, Ben
f91c8206-978b-4f63-bba1-03087a4eaf73
Cassim, Naseem
ac3edcfd-8cf4-4f3a-a914-083be38c239b
Coetzee, Lindi
dd1c0f35-2c27-4236-877f-2c0ade332ea6

Smith, Honora, Cakebread, Daniel, Battarra, Maria, Shelbourne, Ben, Cassim, Naseem and Coetzee, Lindi (2017) Location of a hierarchy of HIV/AIDS test laboratories in an inbound hub network: case study in South Africa. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 68 (9), 1068-1081. (doi:10.1057/s41274-017-0240-5).

Record type: Article

Abstract

HIV/AIDS test laboratories in South Africa face growing demand for high quality, timely and efficient testing of blood samples in all regions of the country, however rural. The three main tests for HIV/AIDS, namely CD4, HIV Viral Load and Infant PCR, are provided in a hierarchy of levels: CD4 is the most frequently-needed test, with most laboratory coverage needed. HIV Viral Load is less frequently called for, and Infant PCR is the rarest test to be done, with correspondingly fewest laboratories needed. The National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) of South Africa operates an inbound hub network for collection of blood samples and transfer to laboratories equipped to carry out the required tests: test results are transmitted electronically, so there is no outbound or return transport. This paper describes the development of modelling carried out over several years of collaboration with NHLS to advise decision makers on an appropriate and efficient hub network. We present mixed integer programs to find efficient locations for both network hubs and locations for all levels of laboratory testing. Novel features include variable or range constraints on maximum travel times to test locations.

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Hub Hierarchical resubmit April 2017 - Accepted Manuscript
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10.1057_s41274-017-0240-5 - Version of Record
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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 18 April 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 21 June 2017
Published date: September 2017
Organisations: Operational Research

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 410624
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/410624
ISSN: 0160-5682
PURE UUID: 96e3b6c8-bcc1-4bf7-aed8-506f1ffe8ee8
ORCID for Honora Smith: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4974-3011

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Date deposited: 09 Jun 2017 09:15
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 05:19

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Contributors

Author: Honora Smith ORCID iD
Author: Daniel Cakebread
Author: Maria Battarra
Author: Ben Shelbourne
Author: Naseem Cassim
Author: Lindi Coetzee

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