scholarly journals Optimizing Emergency Medical Service Structures Using a Rule-Based Discrete Event Simulation—A Practitioner’s Point of View

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2649
Author(s):  
Christoph Strauss ◽  
Günter Bildstein ◽  
Jana Efe ◽  
Theo Flacher ◽  
Karen Hofmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Discrete Event Simulation ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Prehospital Care ◽  
Discrete Event ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Public Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Organizations ◽  
Rule Based ◽  
Event Simulation ◽  
Emergency Medical

Many studies in research deal with optimizing emergency medical services (EMS) on both the operational and the strategic level. It is the purpose of this method-oriented article to explain the major features of “rule-based discrete event simulation” (rule-based DES), which we developed independently in Germany and Switzerland. Our rule-based DES addresses questions concerning the location and relocation of ambulances, dispatching and routing policies, and EMS interplay with other players in prehospital care. We highlight three typical use cases from a practitioner’s perspective and go into different countries’ peculiarities. We show how research results are applied to EMS and healthcare organizations to simulate and optimize specific regions in Germany and Switzerland with their strong federal structures. The rule-based DES serves as basis for decision support to improve regional emergency services’ efficiency without increasing cost. Finally, all simulation-based methods suggest normative solutions and optimize EMS’ performance within given healthcare system structures. We argue that interactions between EMS, emergency departments, and public healthcare agencies are crucial to further improving effectiveness, efficiency, and quality.

scholarly journals Employment of Emergency Advanced Nurses of Turkey: A Discrete-Event Simulation Application

Processes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulkadir Atalan ◽  
Cem Donmez
Keyword(s):  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Discrete Event Simulation ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Treatment Time ◽  
Waiting Times ◽  
Discrete Event ◽  
Weekly Basis ◽  
Event Simulation ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Efficiency Rate

In the present study, problems in emergency services (ESs) were dealt with by analyzing the working system of ESs in Turkey. The purpose of this study was to reduce the waiting times spent in hospitals by employing advanced nurses (ANs) to treat patients who are not urgent, or who may be treated as outpatients in ESs. By applying discrete-event simulation on a 1/24 (daily) and 7/24 (weekly) basis, and by employing ANs, it was determined that the number of patients that were treated increased by 26.71% on a 1/24 basis, and by 15.13% on a 7/24 basis. The waiting time that was spent from the admission to the ES until the treatment time decreased by 38.67% on a 1/24 basis and 53.66% on a 24/7 basis. Similarly, the length of stay was reduced from 82.46 min to 53.97 min in the ES. Among the findings, it was observed that the efficiency rate of the resources was balanced by the employment of ANs, although it was not possible to obtain sufficient efficiency from the resources used in the ESs prior to the present study.

Discrete event simulation and pharmacy process re-engineering

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 398-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalid Al Badi
Keyword(s):  
Discrete Event Simulation ◽  
Hospital Pharmacy ◽  
Discrete Event ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Public Healthcare ◽  
Real World Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Event Simulation ◽  
Delphi Approach

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe a case study undertaken at Al Buraimi Hospital in Oman, which used computer simulation and the Delphi approach to improve efficiency by reducing prescription dispensing waiting times. Design/methodology/approach This study’s framework was based on a discrete event simulation (DES) to identify the as-is pharmacy process and to create a to-be (future situation) to achieve an improvement in pharmacy workflow and service quality. Owing to healthcare environment complexity, and to gain a deeper understanding about Al Buraimi Hospital pharmacy problems, a Delphi technique was also used. Findings Based on Delphi, and according to the expert panel suggestions, two alternative scenarios were proposed to improve Al Buraimi Hospital pharmacy efficiency: fast-track and direct-dispensing, which should help to reduce the prescription dispensing waiting time process by 7.3 and 9.8 min, respectively. Research limitations/implications The main limitation is the pharmacists’ shortage, which may affect the prescription dispensing process’s quality as insufficient manpower to check the prescriptions may increase the medication errors’ risk. Originality/value Based on this case study’s real-world data, findings can be used to improve public healthcare sector pharmacy efficiency. The DES can be used in healthcare services to describe and test actual and proposed situations.

Discrete Event Simulation for Healthcare Organizations: A Tool for Decision Making

2013 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Hamrock ◽  
Kerrie Paige ◽  
Jennifer Parks ◽  
James Scheulen ◽  
Scott Levin
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Discrete Event Simulation ◽  
Discrete Event ◽  
Healthcare Organizations ◽  
Event Simulation
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