The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI)’s Center for Strategic Health Operations Research (CSHOR) seeks to improve health systems and care through quantitative analysis. CSHOR supports and strengthens CHAI’s global activities by analyzing complex problems involving resource planning and allocation, developing and applying pragmatic tools and models, and providing the analyses required to make difficult decisions in resource-limited settings. Our work is made possible by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Operations research (OR) is the practice of applying analytical techniques, such as mathematical models and statistics, to help make more informed decisions when faced with complicated problems. As the complexity and specialization of an organization or health system increases, it can be difficult to determine efficient and effective allocation of resources. Computer models and quantitative analyses can supply information to aid in decision making and can help build more efficient, productive systems. CSHOR’s work adapts these powerful approaches to address diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.