Lehigh ISE, College of Health, and Health Care Systems Engineering Program Spencer C. Schantz Distinguished Lecture
Lecture: Thursday, November 3, 2022, 5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. Open Discussion: 5:45 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Reception and Dinner: 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Lehigh ISE, College of Health, and HSE faculty and students will be able to attend the lecture and open discussion from 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. in the HST Building, Room HE 101. A reception and dinner will immediately follow from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. in the same room. Registration is required for the two events. Please email Sheila Dorney: skd220@lehigh.edu by Monday, October 24, 2022.
Speaker: Dr. Michael Carter
Title: "How Can We Make a Real Difference in Healthcare? The Challenges of Implementation"
Abstract:
Most of us who work in operations research applications in healthcare are frustrated by the fact that planners, managers and decision makers do not seem to be suitably impressed with the mathematical beauty of our models. The literature abounds with hundreds of application papers; but when we take a closer look, few of them describe implementation. The problems in the healthcare industry are generally very similar to corresponding problems in any other sector. Hospitals have staffing issues, budget constraints, purchasing decisions, scheduling, planning, etc. The differences are subtle and often related to the culture. Over the years, I have encountered many challenges and I have been able to design approaches to deal with many of them. A few years ago, I was asked to pick the five top challenges. I can easily rattle off thirty, but selecting five was itself a challenge. In this talk, I will outline my perception of the major hurdles, provide a few examples and discuss strategies for overcoming them.
Bio:
Michael Carter is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto and Founding Director of the Centre for Healthcare Engineering (in 2009). Since 1989, his research focus has been in the area of health care resource modeling. He was the winner of the Annual Practice Prize from the Canadian Operational Research Society (
This lecture series is endowed in the name of the late Spencer C. Schantz, who graduated from Lehigh in 1955 with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering. Following progressive responsibilities with several electrical manufacturing companies, in 1969 he founded U.S. Controls Corporation and became its first CEO and President. The Spencer C. Schantz Distinguished Lecture Series was established by his wife Jerelyn as a valuable educational experience for faculty, students and friends of Lehigh’s Industrial and Systems Engineering department.
Past Schantz Lectures: