multi-criteria risk-benefit analysis of health care management

abstract purpose of this paper: the objectives of this paper are two folds: (1) utilizing hierarchical fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (topsis) approach to evaluate the most suitable rfid-based systems decision, and (2) to highlight key risks and benefits of radio frequency identification technology in healthcare industry. design/methodology/approach: researcher explains the importance of selection criteria for evaluation of rfid-based system. it provides key elements on radio frequency identification, fuzzy hierarchical topsis methodology and an algorithm that can be followed to solve the problem. a sample problem using the algorithm is solved and results are explained. findings: the hierarchical topsis model used in this article is able to grasp the ambiguity exists in the utilized information and the fuzziness appears in the human judgments and preferences. the use of the hierarchical fuzzy topsis methodology offers a number of benefits: (1) it is a systematic model and straight forward to work on (2) capable to capture the human's appraisal of ambiguity when management should deal with a complex multiple objective situations. the hierarchical fuzzy topsis is in some way superior to the other fuzzy multi criterion decision making techniques, such as fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (fahp) and classical fuzzy topsis methods. this is because while in the hierarchical structure no pair-wise comparisons among criteria, sub-criteria, and alternatives are necessary to be made, it is already being taken into consideration by the model. hierarchical fuzzy. practical implications (if applicable): what is original/value of paper: due to the fact that a better management of health care system is related to the full understanding of the technologies implemented and the system under consideration, sufficient background on the radio frequency identification technology is provided and the rfid systems most likely management would face with and select one are provided for decisions to be made on them. key words: rfid technology, rfid-based system selection, healthcare applications, hierarchical fuzzy topsis.