Network analysis for health systems (patients address to 40 different locations)

[Jim_Gay]

We have a complex problem to solve using our health care data.  We want to take each patient and calculate driving distance (miles) to each of our 40 locations.  I have the lat/long for all patients and all locations.  Also, I have the network street data.  I've never used network analyst so I am not sure it can handle this.  Does anyone have any experience doing this type of routing?  Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[JoeBorgione]

That's a good one Dan-  I think I've told you this: a dispatcher told me we should use Google Map Data for 9-1-1 dispatch.  I said sure, that's cool.  When we dispatch to your Mom's address we'll use Google Map Data.  When we dispatch to my house, we'll use my data.... 

I had another dispatcher just the other day approach me and ask "When does Google Update there data?  It's different than yours..." 

[DanPatterson_Retired]

Yes ... I love those example  ... but it is sadly, what some people compare the NA solutions to

[Jim_Gay]

Thanks for the good information!  I will look at some of the links you all have posted.

At the end of the day, we just want to store the driving distance for each visit.  We are not concerned with the route at this point in time.  Also, thanks for the heads up on the oddities that can happen with network analyst and the streets dataset.  This still appears to be a daunting task but hopefully it's not too bad.

[Jim_Gay]

We also have business analyst licensed and the our network dataset is from that package.  Does it make sense to use BA for this type of project?  I'm guessing Network Analyst is still the answer since I want to do this in a batch mode at some point in time and I'm not sure BA lends itself to that.

I'm planning to call ESRI this afternoon to see about getting some advice from them.  Every little bit helps!