The Applying ISM/FANP Approach for Appropriate Location Selection of Health Centers

Authors

Department of Management, Faculty of Humanities, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr, Iran

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to present a fuzzy multi-criteria decision making (FMADM) model for appropriate location selection of a health center. Therefore, we identify sixteen criteria and sub-criteria for selecting a health center location. These criteria and sub-criteria have been obtained from literature reviews and practical interviews. This paper proposes a method which combines the methods of the interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and the fuzzy analytic network process (FANP) procedures to deal with the problem of the sub-systems interdependence and feedback. Also the methods of fuzzy set theory, fuzzy analytic hierarchy process and fuzzy analytical network process are used to combine decision-makers’ assessments about criteria weightings. Finally, an empirical study for the location selection of a health center in Ramsar is conducted to demonstrate the computational process and effectiveness of FMADM proposed by this paper.

Keywords