Modeling hospital surgical delivery process design using system simulation: Optimizing patient flow and bed capacity as an illustration

  • Authors:

  • Sameer Kumar

  • Affiliations:

  • Opus College of Business, University of St. Thomas, Mail # TMH 343, 1000 LaSalle Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, USA. Tel.: +1 651 962 4350/ Fax: +1 651 962 4710/ E-mail: skumar@stthomas.edu

  • Venue:
  • Technology and Health Care
  • Year:
  • 2011

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Abstract

Objectives: It is increasingly recognized that hospital operation is an intricate system with limited resources and many interacting sources of both positive and negative feedback. The purpose of this study is to design a surgical delivery process in a county hospital in the U.S where patient flow through a surgical ward is optimized. Method: The system simulation modeling is used to address questions of capacity planning, throughput management and interacting resources which constitute the constantly changing complexity that characterizes designing a contemporary surgical delivery process in a hospital. Results: The steps in building a system simulation model is demonstrated using an example of building a county hospital in a small city in the US. It is used to illustrate a modular system simulation modeling of patient surgery process flows. Conclusions: The system simulation model development will enable planners and designers how they can build in overall efficiencies in a healthcare facility through optimal bed capacity for peak patient flow of emergency and routine patients.