Selection of Electroshock Device Supplier Using TOPSIS, VIKOR, and SAW Multi-criteria De-cision-making Methods in Afzalipour Hospital, Kerman

Managers and policymakers are looking for ways to help them make the best decisions and buying the best medical equipment like an electroshock. Given that considering only one criterion for evaluating decision options cannot be realistic, the application of multi-criteria decision-making methods, which employ several criteria (often conflicting) to evaluate decision options, is on the rise.

In this study, SAW, VIKOR, and TOPSIS methods were used to decide on the purchase of an electroshock device. Using literature review and the Delphi method, a series of effective and important criteria were identified for making decisions regarding purchasing an electroshock device and entered in the decision matrix. The other input was the decision matrix of 4 brands of EKG devices, which were selected according to the IMED site and in consultation with the hospital medical equipment manager. The primary decision matrix was developed using expert opinions and was used as the input of TOPSIS, SAW, and VIKOR methods in Excel software.

The results obtained from all three decision models of VIKOR, TOSIS, and SAW were similar and confirmed each other and showed that the best brand to buy an electroshock device is brand B. While the most inappropriate option was brand A.

The use of multi-criteria decision-making approaches in today’s competitive and costly world of management is inevitable and effective. Besides, the use of several decision-making methods with different criteria, as well as the similarity of the results, increase the validity of the results.