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

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.