Efficiency of endoscopy units can be improved with use of discrete event simulation modeling

Bryan G. Sauer; Kanwar P. Singh; Barry L. Wagner; Matthew S. Vanden Hoek; Katherine Twilley; Steven M. Cohn; Vanessa M. Shami; Andrew Y. Wang

doi:10.1055/s-0042-117217

Endoscopy International Open, Inhaltsverzeichnis

Endosc Int Open 2016; 04(11): E1140-E1145
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-117217

Original article

Efficiency of endoscopy units can be improved with use of discrete event simulation modeling

Authors

Bryan G. Sauer

¹Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
Kanwar P. Singh

²University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA
Barry L. Wagner

²University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA
Matthew S. Vanden Hoek

¹Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
Katherine Twilley

²University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA
Steven M. Cohn

¹Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
Vanessa M. Shami

¹Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
Andrew Y. Wang

¹Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

Abstract

Background and study aims: The projected increased demand for health services obligates healthcare organizations to operate efficiently. Discrete event simulation (DES) is a modeling method that allows for optimization of systems through virtual testing of different configurations before implementation. The objective of this study was to identify strategies to improve the daily efficiencies of an endoscopy center with the use of DES.

Methods: We built a DES model of a five procedure room endoscopy unit at a tertiary-care university medical center. After validating the baseline model, we tested alternate configurations to run the endoscopy suite and evaluated outcomes associated with each change. The main outcome measures included adequate number of preparation and recovery rooms, blocked inflow, delay times, blocked outflows, and patient cycle time.

Results: Based on a sensitivity analysis, the adequate number of preparation rooms is eight and recovery rooms is nine for a five procedure room unit (total 3.4 preparation and recovery rooms per procedure room). Simple changes to procedure scheduling and patient arrival times led to a modest improvement in efficiency. Increasing the preparation/recovery rooms based on the sensitivity analysis led to significant improvements in efficiency.

Conclusions: By applying tools such as DES, we can model changes in an environment with complex interactions and find ways to improve the medical care we provide. DES is applicable to any endoscopy unit and would be particularly valuable to those who are trying to improve on the efficiency of care and patient experience.

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Referenzen

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