[Computer-assisted process simulation: a suitable instrument for process optimization in hospitals]

The increasing financial pressure on hospitals resulting from changes in the health system demands detailed knowledge about the cost and earnings situation in the hospital. An essential part of strategic controlling now entails establishing structured cost-unit accounting. This can then be used for example through process optimization to ascertain savings potential and rationalization measures. This paper illustrates a possibility of using computer-assisted process simulation to find ways for prozess optimization. The simulation has been based on the treatment process "operative procedure" of a clinical pathway "CABG" developed in our hospital. The starting points for simulation possible prozess optimization consisted in the elimination of existing waiting times, respectively the parallel organization of certain partial processes. The software used for the simulation was Coral iGrafix Process 2003. The results of 1000 simulation processes reveal a clear reduction in the whole lead-time for the patient, both in avoiding waiting times and also in parallel process organization. In contrast to the initial situation (triangular distribution), the overall duration of the treatment section can be described approximately with normal distribution and a clear cluster of minimum overall durations. Computer-assisted process simulation is a suitable instrument for revealing and establishing possibilities for process optimization in hospitals, and therefore makes a valuable contribution to strategic controlling.