Using simulation in out-patient queues: a case study

• Published in: International journal of health care quality assurance Vol. 9; no. 6; p. 21
• Main Authors: Huarng, F, Lee, M H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Emerald Group Publishing Limited 1996
• Subjects: Appointments and Schedules; Case studies; Dermatology; Hospitals; Humans; Immunology; Models, Theoretical; Organizational Innovation; Outpatient care facilities; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital - organization & administration; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital - standards; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital - utilization; Patients; Pharmacy; Physicians; Process Assessment (Health Care); Quality Assurance, Health Care - organization & administration; Quality control; Quality of service; Queuing; Registration; Simulation; Taiwan; Time and Motion Studies; Waiting Lists; Workload; Taiwan
• ISSN: 0952-6862; 1758-6542
• DOI: 10.1108/09526869610128232

Overwork and overcrowding in some periods was an important issue for the out-patient department of a local hospital in Chia-Yi in Taiwan. The hospital administrators wanted to manage the patient flow effectively. Describes a study which focused on the utilization of doctors and staff in the out-patient department, the time spent in the hospital by an out-patient, and the length of the out-patient queue. Explains how a computer simulation model was developed to study how changes in the appointment system, staffing policies and service units would affect the observed bottleneck. The results show that the waiting time was greatly reduced and the workload of the doctor was also reduced to a reasonable rate in the overwork and overcrowding periods.