TY - GEN
T1 - Optimizing outpatient access center staffing using discrete event simulation
T2 - 67th Annual Conference and Expo of the Institute of Industrial Engineers 2017
AU - Erekat, Asala
AU - Al-Shaebi, Abdulhameed
AU - Alhaider, Abdulrahman
AU - Khasawneh, Mohammad
AU - Khasawneh, Amro
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - In the current cost constricted healthcare environment and patient-centered era, proper staffing to demand is essential for meeting patient expectations. An outpatient access center in a large urban health system is experiencing a 50% increase in the demand for the next two years. Therefore, optimal staffing is a key challenge for the access center in accommodating this demand. The center provides appointments to various types of patients. Maintaining a high level of service to meet patient needs is a major challenge. At the same time, the administration does not want to overburden the staff members when the projected increase in demand occurs. Currently, there are six nurses in the system, serving two types of patients. Initially, a process map was constructed to identify areas for improvements. Then, a simulation model was developed using the Arena software. The simulation model was used to test various alternatives for both the current and projected patient (service) demand.
AB - In the current cost constricted healthcare environment and patient-centered era, proper staffing to demand is essential for meeting patient expectations. An outpatient access center in a large urban health system is experiencing a 50% increase in the demand for the next two years. Therefore, optimal staffing is a key challenge for the access center in accommodating this demand. The center provides appointments to various types of patients. Maintaining a high level of service to meet patient needs is a major challenge. At the same time, the administration does not want to overburden the staff members when the projected increase in demand occurs. Currently, there are six nurses in the system, serving two types of patients. Initially, a process map was constructed to identify areas for improvements. Then, a simulation model was developed using the Arena software. The simulation model was used to test various alternatives for both the current and projected patient (service) demand.
KW - Discrete event simulation
KW - Healthcare
KW - Outpatient access center
KW - Staffing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85031036064&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85031036064
T3 - 67th Annual Conference and Expo of the Institute of Industrial Engineers 2017
SP - 1918
EP - 1924
BT - 67th Annual Conference and Expo of the Institute of Industrial Engineers 2017
A2 - Nembhard, Harriet B.
A2 - Coperich, Katie
A2 - Cudney, Elizabeth
PB - Institute of Industrial Engineers
Y2 - 20 May 2017 through 23 May 2017
ER -