Using computer simulation to reduce access time for outpatient departments

Abstract

The analytical model provided quick insight into the extra capacity needed for the neurology department. The added value of the simulation model was the possibility of taking into account variations in demand for different weekdays and a realistic schedule for doctors' consultations. General applicability of the models was shown by applying both models to the gynaecology department.

Evaluation of Methods for Scheduling Clinic Appointments in Surgical Service: a Statecharts-based Simulation Study

“…Applications of the simulation approach have included assessing the impact of alternative appointment schedules on waiting times in a specialty department (Harper & Gamlin, 2003), examining the capacity needed to reduce access times in outpatient departments (Elkhuizen et al, 2007), evaluating scheduling rules in terms of physicians' idle time when the type of patient requesting an appointment at a later time is unknown (Klassen & Rohleder, 1996;Klassen & Rohleder, 2004), comparing appointment systems for patients with different needs in a multifacility internal medicine department (Wijewickrama & Takakuwa, 2008), and assessing the impact of operating conditions on the performance of rules for scheduling 1 www.intechopen.com appointments (Ho & Lau, 1999). Other authors have described the use of computer simulation to support decision-making in outpatient clinics (Erdem et al, 2002), to improve utilization of resources, and to reduce physicians' overtime (Westeneng, 2007).…”

Integrated decision making in healthcare : an operations research and management science perspective

“…The balance between access times and resource utilization may be improved when resource capacities can temporarily be increased or decreased, to cope with fluctuations in patient demand [498]. For example, changing a CT scanner's opening hours [498] or changing doctor consultation time [162].…”

“…The total consultation time that is available, for example for an MRI scanner or a doctor [115,160,162].…”

“…Methods: computer simulation [160,162,187,264,348,421,454,457,458,471,515], Markov processes [508], mathematical programming [450], queueing theory [35,115,162,264], literature review [282,451].…”

“…For example, they focus on the outpatient clinic [89,162], diagnostic services [219,498] or operating rooms [4,31,93,130,488]. Although the benefits of an integrated approach are often recognized [80,231,401], relatively few articles integrate decision making for a chain of resources or departments along the patient's care process.…”