The INFORMS Analytics+ Conference showcased how companies are turning advanced analytics and AI into measurable operational results
In most emergency departments, beds are a hot commodity. But some patients don’t actually need a bed for their treatment – and accurately identifying those people is a low-lift but effective way to increase efficiency without sacrificing care quality, finds a study recently published in the journal Management Science.
The researchers developed a simple decision tree, informed by mathematical and machine learning models, to help staff decide whether a patient truly needs a bed or can be routed to a “vertical processing pathway” – that is, an area where they can be treated sitting up. Many hospitals already have such an area but don’t necessarily have a systematic way to decide which patients are treated there.
American teenagers start their school day too early.
Medical experts have been clear for years: sleep cycle changes during puberty make it hard for teenagers to learn in the early morning. Later school start times have been linked to better sleep, improved mental health, stronger academic performance and even safer driving.
Most school district leaders know about this problem and care about fixing it. But changing the schedule can feel operationally impossible.
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INFORMS Resoundingly Human podcast, connects you with the incredible people who bring operations research and analytics to life. Started Aug 2018.
Influencing consumer decisions is a priority for retailers, and in this quickly growing digital age it’s becoming more important to understand how and where to target them. Already, consumers’ every click is being tracked to see what products they like and dislike. And yes, that means even you're being followed. So how do retailers track and use that information to increase sales?
A mantra is posted everywhere at Amazon’s fulfillment center in Kenosha, Wis.:
Work hard. Have fun. Make history.
Indeed, employees at the distribution hub 65 miles north of Chicago appear to be working hard—certainly maintaining a brisk pace—as they pick and pack orders near wheeled robots and display screens. A network of conveyor belts whisks sealed boxes toward cargo bays, where a worker hand-fits the boxes into trailers.
Popular stores such as Macy’s, Old Navy, Gap, Kohl’s, and American Apparel have closed hundreds of stores in the past few years. Given the rapid rate of store closures, the future of physical retail is in question. How can brick and mortar stores compete with online retailers like Amazon?
Richard Larson had to confront himself. He spoke of a moment when he literally looked into the mirror — "that's it," he thought. It was time to read what he wrote.
OR/MS Today is the INFORMS member magazine that shares the latest research and best practices in operations research, analytics and the management sciences.
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Analytics magazine showcases articles and research reports based on big data, AI, machine learning, data analytics and other new-age technologies.
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