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Disseminating Emergency Preparedness Planning Models as Automatically Generated Custom Spreadsheets

Author

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  • Jeffrey W. Herrmann

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering and Institute for Systems Research, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742)

Abstract

When public health officials requested OR models to help county health departments across the United States create plans for dispensing medications and vaccines during emergencies, we developed capacity planning and queueing network models. We then faced the challenge of distributing these models to people with minimal experience with OR techniques and no resources for acquiring and learning new software. To eliminate the most significant obstacles, we decided to use spreadsheets. We created a spreadsheet application that runs Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macros to generate customized analytical models without the assistance of an OR professional; thus, users could evaluate a wide variety of plans. Developing spreadsheets for this type of application differs significantly from end-user modeling and typical spreadsheet applications. The software is available on our website for public health emergency preparedness planners to download.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeffrey W. Herrmann, 2008. "Disseminating Emergency Preparedness Planning Models as Automatically Generated Custom Spreadsheets," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 38(4), pages 263-270, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orinte:v:38:y:2008:i:4:p:263-270
    DOI: 10.1287/inte.1070.0335
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kay Aaby & Jeffrey W. Herrmann & Carol S. Jordan & Mark Treadwell & Kathy Wood, 2006. "Montgomery County’s Public Health Service Uses Operations Research to Plan Emergency Mass Dispensing and Vaccination Clinics," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 36(6), pages 569-579, December.
    2. Thomas A. Grossman, 1999. "Teachers' Forum: Spreadsheet Modeling and Simulation Improves Understanding of Queues," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 29(3), pages 88-103, June.
    3. Stephen G. Powell, 1997. "The Teachers' Forum: From Intelligent Consumer to Active Modeler, Two MBA Success Stories," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 27(3), pages 88-98, June.
    4. Edwards, John S. & Finlay, Paul N. & Wilson, John M., 2000. "The role of OR specialists in `do it yourself' spreadsheet development," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 127(1), pages 14-27, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Duijzer, Lotty Evertje & van Jaarsveld, Willem & Dekker, Rommert, 2018. "Literature review: The vaccine supply chain," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 268(1), pages 174-192.

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