Setting Staffing Requirements for Time Dependent Queueing Networks: The Case of Accident and Emergency Departments

Izady, Navid and Worthington, David (2012) Setting Staffing Requirements for Time Dependent Queueing Networks: The Case of Accident and Emergency Departments. European Journal of Operational Research, 219 (3). pp. 531-540. ISSN 0377-2217

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Abstract

An incentive scheme aimed at reducing patients' waiting times in accident and emergency departments was introduced by the UK government in 2000. It requires 98 percent of patients to be discharged, transferred, or admitted to inpatient care within 4 hours of arrival. Setting the minimal hour by hour medical staffing levels for achieving the government target, in the presence of complexities like time-varying demand, multiple types of patients, and resource sharing, is the subject of this paper. Building on extensive body of research on time dependent queues, we propose an iterative scheme which uses infinite server networks, the square root staffing law, and simulation to come up with a good solution. The implementation of this algorithm in a typical A&E department suggests that significant improvement on the target can be gained, even without increase in total staff hours.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
European Journal of Operational Research
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/aacsb/disciplinebasedresearch
Subjects:
?? TIME-DEPENDENT QUEUESSTAFFING EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTSMANAGEMENT SCIENCEMODELLING AND SIMULATIONMANAGEMENT SCIENCE AND OPERATIONS RESEARCHINFORMATION SYSTEMS AND MANAGEMENTDISCIPLINE-BASED RESEARCH ??
ID Code:
53534
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
18 Apr 2012 10:25
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
20 Sep 2023 00:19