Reimagining Healthcare Delivery with Systems Science & Engineering

A fundamental challenge in healthcare is ensuring that patients receive the right care, at the right place, and at the right time. This talk explores how systems science and engineering can help address this challenge by bringing together data, modeling, and decision-focused thinking to improve how healthcare is designed and delivered, especially in the face of limited resources. Drawing on examples from my research, I will show how mathematical modeling can help clarify complex tradeoffs in healthcare systems and support better decisions. Using examples from my research on maternal health, I examine how we used mathematical optimization and network analysis to rethink how maternal healthcare is coordinated and delivered statewide. I will also highlight other contexts where mathematical modeling can inform high-impact decisions, such as poliovirus control and pediatric hospital operations. Together, these examples show how systems science and engineering can translate complex healthcare challenges into practical, evidence-based decisions that improve care for patients and communities.