The time–space (TS) diagram is a popular visualization tool in evaluating progression quality for signalized arterials, and most signal optimization software products (such as Synchro) can generate TS diagrams as part of the optimization output. During the signal retiming process, TS diagrams generated by optimization software need to be validated by field observations, and minor changes will be made to signal control parameters if a discrepancy is observed. The validation process is time-consuming and costly. Through the use of high-resolution event-based traffic data collected from existing traffic signal controllers, a practical procedure for constructing TS diagrams for signalized arterials is proposed. The diagrams can be used as a convenient visualization tool in evaluating the performance of traffic signals and in identifying opportunities for fine-tuning in a timely manner. Reasonable agreement was found between the TS diagram and vehicle trajectory data collected from the field. A field experiment was carried out to illustrate how signal parameter changes could be made by intuitive evaluation of the TS diagram. Recommendations and limitations of the proposed approach are discussed.

In this paper, we introduce a simulation study to improve the antineoplastic medication preparation and delivery performance at a pharmacy department in a large community hospital. The goal of this work is to help pharmacy reduce patients' average waiting time when receiving chemotherapy. This will be achieved by simulating and analyzing the preparation and delivery procedures to identify process bottlenecks, carry out what-if analysis, predict the impact of improvement effort, and provide recommendations to hospital leadership. Using the simulation model, we discover that by introducing early preparation for the returning patients and dedicating an infusion staff member for medication delivery, patients' waiting time for antineoplastic medications can be reduced substantially. Such improvements do not require additional floor space or significant investment. The recommendation has been accepted by hospital management and implemented in the pharmacy department. The preliminary results have verified the simulation output with the desired improvement predicted by the model.

ObjectivesTo implement an identification and brief advice (IBA) intervention to detect low-risk/hazardous alcohol consumption.DesignImplementation was guided through the use of quality improvement tools and training.SettingThis study was conducted over an 18-month period from April 2010 to September 2011 on a 42-bed acute medical unit at a central London acute hospital.ParticipantsAll medical patients over the age of 18 admitted to the acute assessment unit were eligible; any patient unable to provide a medical history either through language barriers or due to illness was excluded.Main outcome measuresPercentage of medical patients admitted each week to the acute assessment unit who were screened for low-risk/hazardous alcohol consumption.ResultsWeekly data were analysed in time series run charts and cross-referenced to the date of educational sessions and their effect on the uptake of screening monitored. A demonstrable change in the mean percentage number of patients screened was observed in different time periods, 67.3–80.1%, following targeted teaching on the AAU.ConclusionsOur study demonstrates the successful use of quality improvement methodology to guide the implementation of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C), an IBA intervention, in the acute medical setting. The incorporation of the AUDIT-C into an admission document has been well accepted by the junior doctors, attaining an average (mean) of 80% of patients being screened using the tool. Targeted teaching of clinical staff involved in admitting patients appears to be the most effective method in improving uptake of IBA by junior doctors.

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