[Using network planning techniques for work flow analysis in a clinical environment]

In the face of increasing financial pressure on our health care system, one way to reduce costs while maintaining or even improving outcome quality is to improve work flow efficiency. Network Planning Technique (NPT) is a tool for mapping and analyzing work flows. Designing a network plan requires four steps. Step 1 is concerned with the determination of the work flow structure. Step 2 deals with data acquisition. Based on the data retrieved a network plan is created in Step 3. Step 4 includes the calculation of the critical path and slack times under optimistic, realistic and pessimistic conditions. Applied to the ultrasound division in our department a total examination time of 34:14 minutes was calculated with 23:09 minutes total slack time for the technician under realistic conditions. Using NPT creates transparency in work flows and allows us to estimate resource demands. A comparison between two different divisions with a similar work flow structure but different resource allocation demonstrates this method's potential for improving work flows. Limitations of the NPT can be noted when considering cycle overlap in repetitive work flows and modeling non-regular activities.