Decision support system for multicriteria evaluation in complex scenarios: a SAPEVO-M-based approach for efficient drug selection and business management
Luana J. Tocchio, Miguel Ângelo Lellis Moreira, Igor Pınheıro de Araújo Costa, Luíz Paulo Lopes Fávero, Marcos dos Santos · Procedia Computer Science · 2025
Vector-borne diseases pose a significant challenge to public health and animal welfare. In veterinary clinics, choosing the ideal prophylactic drug is complex as it involves multiple criteria, such as the spectrum of action, duration of effect, cost, and administration method. This study employs the Simple Aggregation of Preferences Expressed by Ordinal Vectors – Multi Decision Makers (SAPEVO-M) multicriteria approach to support decision-making regarding the selection of the best antiparasitic drug for a medium-sized veterinary clinic. The method incorporates input from multiple decision-makers, providing a robust evaluation aligned with business needs. The application of SAPEVO-M focused on standardising prescriptions to optimise inventory management, reduce costs, and improve supplier relationships. Furthermore, a structured drug selection process can enhance customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. Despite the method’s inherent limitations, such as subjectivity in defining criteria, the multicriteria approach is valuable for the strategic management of veterinary clinics. Future studies may explore including additional variables in the decision-making process, such as animal drug acceptance and customer loyalty.