Scheduling of patients and resources for ambulatory health care

This paper presents the results of a study of the scheduling of patients and resources in one of the Family Practice Units of The University of Alabama in Huntsville's Ambulatory Care Center. The objective of the study was three-fold:

1) Determine the maximum number of patients the physician staff can see in a 3-hour session,

2) Find the patient appointment schedule for this load that minimizes patient waiting without impacting through-put, and

3) Determine the number of nurses and examining rooms needed to process this patient load in the most efficient, cost-effective manner.

A detailed computer model of the Unit was written using SLAM (Simulation Language for Alternative Modeling) which incorporated parameters for theoretical distributions based on nearly a month's actual data taken in the Unit. Using the computer model a number of patient loads, appointment schedules, and resource allocations were examined. A general cost/benefit equation was formulated for evaluating the alternatives, and recommendations were made on how to optimize the Unit's operation.