An indoor location-based hospital Porter management system and trace analysis

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Operations Research
• Hospital Logistics

Background:

• Hospital porters are essential for daily operations, including patient and equipment transport.
• Current porter management systems lack real-time location data, hindering efficiency assessment.
• Lack of transparency in porter movement impedes performance evaluation and improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an indoor location-based porter management system (LOPS).
• To provide real-time porter location data for improved dispatching and task management.
• To analyze porter movement patterns and operational efficiency in a hospital setting.

Main Methods:

• Development of the LOPS using existing indoor positioning infrastructure.
• Conducting a 5-month field trial to collect porter movement data (traces).
• Performing quantitative analyses on porter movement distribution, workload, and service bottlenecks.

Main Results:

• The LOPS provides real-time porter location visibility to dispatchers.
• Analysis revealed movement patterns, workload distribution, and potential operational bottlenecks.
• Data-driven insights were generated to inform efficiency improvements for porter teams.

Conclusions:

• Real-time location tracking significantly enhances hospital porter management.
• Quantitative analysis of porter movement data is crucial for optimizing hospital logistics.
• The LOPS offers a scalable solution for improving hospital operational efficiency and patient care quality.