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Background: medical centers location is one of the most important problems, which should be considered in different dimensions to improve the services. In this paper, we consider the hierarchical maximum covering problem for bi-level healthcare systems including Clinics and hospitals, by taking the service rates into account. In this problem, the initial objective is minimizing the uncovered demand nodes, and secondary objective is the minimizing the lost demand rate as a measure of potentially patients’ retention in coverage radius.

Methods: In this paper, the serving system in the Tehran heart center hospital is considered for queue analyses. The proposed method is a mathematical optimization model called probabilistic two-stage programming model. To evaluate this model, a number of numerical problems are solved through GAMS software.

Results: according to the results, we have found that the best condition for locating the medical centers is that the clinic are located adjacent to a hospital. Decision making about the location problem by considering the service rate in each healthcare centers, increases the reliability to the result of the optimization model.

Conclusion: The proposed model is able to help the decision makers to attain an optimized decision for locating the medical centers in deprived areas, inspired by the medical centers in areas with similar population. Therefore, if the clinics and hospitals are located by considering the hierarchical mode and their service rates, the patients’ welfare will be enhanced.

Background and purpose: The laundry unit is one of the most critical support services in a hospital. Optimizing processes and implementing effective management strategies in this unit can significantly impact cost management. This study aims to examine various aspects of hospital laundry units.
Methods: This research was conducted across the teaching hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The study employed a multi-step approach. First, the most crucial performance criteria for laundry units were identified through a fuzzy Delphi technique, consulting 20 experts in the field. These criteria were then weighted using the Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) method. Finally, hospitals were ranked using the VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method.
Results: The analysis of main criteria in the laundry unit revealed the following significance levels: "performance criteria" (56%), "equipment and facilities" (28%), and "cost management" (16%). Among the sub-criteria, "process" emerged as the top priority with a weight of 0.285, followed by "general laundry section regulations" (0.155), "safety and health" (0.139), and "general" (0.081).
Conclusion: The findings highlight the paramount importance of the "process" sub-criterion in hospital laundries. Consequently, we recommend updating guidelines for linen collection, washing, maintenance, and distribution. Furthermore, given that "general laundry section regulations" ranked as the second priority, we suggest implementing clear separation of dirty and clean pathways within the laundry unit and establishing a system for continuous recording and weighing of received garments. These measures can significantly enhance overall process management and cost efficiency.