Reducing access times for an endoscopy department by an iterative combination of computer simulation and linear...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Operations Research
• Medical Simulation
• Operations Management

Background:

• Endoscopy departments face challenges in reducing patient access times.
• Inefficient resource allocation can lead to prolonged waiting periods for procedures.
• Optimizing scheduling is crucial for improving patient flow and departmental efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and apply a novel method for reducing endoscopy access times.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of optimized capacity allocation in an academic medical center.
• To identify strategies for improving departmental performance without additional resources.

Main Methods:

• An iterative approach combining Discrete Event Simulation (DES) and Integer Linear Programming (ILP) was developed.
• The method was implemented and tested within the Endoscopy Department of the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam.
• Various scenarios were simulated to assess potential improvements in access times.

Main Results:

• The proposed method demonstrated that effective allocation of current capacity can meet all procedure type performance targets.
• Significant improvements in access times were achieved compared to the current operational situation.
• The enhancements were realized without the need for additional equipment or personnel.

Conclusions:

• The combined DES and ILP approach is a viable strategy for optimizing endoscopy department operations.
• Efficient resource allocation is key to improving access times and meeting performance goals.
• The implemented recommendations have successfully enhanced the department's efficiency and service delivery.