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Systems
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Operations Management in Healthcare Systems
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Operations Management in Healthcare Systems

A special issue of Systems (ISSN 2079-8954). This special issue belongs to the section "Systems Practice in Social Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 2385

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Aydin Teymourifar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Católica Porto Business School, Centro de Estudos em Gestão e Economia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal
Interests: healthcare systems; system design; system dynamics; simulation and modelling; contract mechanisms in healthcare systems; estimation; time series model; machine learning; decision-making; productivity and efficiency

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Healthcare systems are becoming increasingly complex, necessitating innovative approaches to improve system design, operational efficiency, and decision-making processes. Integrating methodologies such as system dynamics, simulation, and machine learning provides new opportunities to address these complexities. Tools like time series models and data-driven decision-making frameworks also play pivotal roles in predicting demand patterns, managing uncertainty, and boosting productivity and efficiency. Together, these advanced approaches enable more effective healthcare management by supporting the development of performance-based contract mechanisms, enhancing estimation methods, and optimising resource allocation. This Special Issue seeks to bring together ground-breaking studies that utilise these methodologies, driving advancements in healthcare systems and addressing the multifaceted challenges of modern healthcare management.

We invite contributions in the following areas:
  • Healthcare Systems Research and Applications;
  • System Design and System Dynamics in Healthcare Systems;
  • Simulation and Modelling for Healthcare Optimisation;
  • Contract Mechanisms in Healthcare Systems;
  • Estimation Methods and Time Series Models for Operations Management in Healthcare Systems;
  • Machine Learning Applications in Healthcare Management;
  • Data-Driven Decision-Making in Healthcare Systems;
  • Productivity and Efficiency in Healthcare Operations.

This issue seeks to bridge the gap between theory and practical applications in healthcare management. We welcome submissions that leverage emerging methodologies to address critical challenges and improve healthcare system design, operations, and decision-making.

Dr. Aydin Teymourifar
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Systems is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • healthcare systems
  • system design
  • system dynamics
  • simulation and modelling
  • contract mechanisms in healthcare systems
  • estimation
  • time series model
  • machine learning
  • decision-making
  • productivity and efficiency

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 550 KB  
Article
Chvátal–Gomory Cuts Applied to the Nurse Rostering Problem
by Yuanyuan Fang, Wanzhe Hu and Li Luo
Systems 2025, 13(9), 745; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13090745 - 28 Aug 2025
Viewed by 515
Abstract
The nurse rostering problem (NRP) has attracted significant research interest in recent decades due to both its practical relevance and computational complexity. While the branch-and-price algorithm has demonstrated effectiveness in solving NRPs, its column generation component frequently produces weak lower bounds for some [...] Read more.
The nurse rostering problem (NRP) has attracted significant research interest in recent decades due to both its practical relevance and computational complexity. While the branch-and-price algorithm has demonstrated effectiveness in solving NRPs, its column generation component frequently produces weak lower bounds for some problem instances, which consequently degrades overall computational performance. To strengthen the lower bound quality, we propose three classes of cutting planes derived from the column generation master problem formulation: SRCs, CG rank-1 cuts, and {0, ½}-cuts. For each cut type, the separation approaches enhanced with acceleration strategies are described. These cuts are typically classified as non-robust, meaning each cut added to the master problem requires introducing a new resource in the pricing subproblem’s labeling algorithm. We therefore developed problem-specific methods to update these resources and integrate them into the NRP dominance rules. Computational experiments were conducted on benchmark instances from two international nurse rostering competitions (INRC-I and INRC-II). The results indicate that SRCs are highly effective for two challenging INRC-I instances, including one where a tighter lower bound was identified. In contrast, the {0, ½}-cuts yield the strongest performance for most selected INRC-II instances. These findings demonstrate that the cutting plane method can be used to improve lower bounds for NRPs, and that the effectiveness of different cut types in improving lower bounds is closely tied to the problem formulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Operations Management in Healthcare Systems)
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Review

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22 pages, 337 KB  
Review
Contract Mechanisms for Value-Based Technology Adoption in Healthcare Systems
by Aydin Teymourifar
Systems 2025, 13(8), 655; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13080655 - 3 Aug 2025
Viewed by 968
Abstract
Although technological innovations are often intended to improve quality and efficiency, they can exacerbate systemic challenges when not aligned with the principles of value-based care. As a result, healthcare systems in many countries face persistent inefficiencies stemming from the overuse, underuse, misuse, and [...] Read more.
Although technological innovations are often intended to improve quality and efficiency, they can exacerbate systemic challenges when not aligned with the principles of value-based care. As a result, healthcare systems in many countries face persistent inefficiencies stemming from the overuse, underuse, misuse, and waste associated with the adoption of health technology. This narrative review examines the dual impact of healthcare technology and evaluates how contract mechanisms can serve as strategic tools for promoting cost-effective, outcome-oriented integration. Drawing from healthcare management, and supply chain literature, this paper analyzes various payment and contract models, including performance-based, bundled, cost-sharing, and revenue-sharing agreements, through the lens of stakeholder alignment. It explores how these mechanisms influence provider behavior, patient access, and system sustainability. The study contends that well-designed contract mechanisms can align stakeholder incentives, reduce inefficiencies, and support the delivery of high-value care across diverse healthcare settings. We provide concrete examples to illustrate how various contract mechanisms impact the integration of health technologies in practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Operations Management in Healthcare Systems)
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