Resource management framework using simulation modeling and multi-objective optimization: a case study of a front-end department of a public hospital in Thailand
Abstract Background The overcrowded patients, which cause the long waiting time in public hospitals, become significant problems that affect patient satisfaction toward the hospital. Particularly, the bottleneck usually happens at front-end departments (e.g., the triage and medical record department...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-022-01750-8 |
| _version_ | 1819006831521955840 |
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| author | Tanatorn Tanantong Warut Pannakkong Nittaya Chemkomnerd |
| author_facet | Tanatorn Tanantong Warut Pannakkong Nittaya Chemkomnerd |
| author_sort | Tanatorn Tanantong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The overcrowded patients, which cause the long waiting time in public hospitals, become significant problems that affect patient satisfaction toward the hospital. Particularly, the bottleneck usually happens at front-end departments (e.g., the triage and medical record department) as every patient is firstly required to visit these departments. The problem is mainly caused by ineffective resource management. In order to support decision making in the resource management at front-end departments, this paper proposes a framework using simulation and multi-objective optimization techniques considering both operating cost and patient satisfaction. Methods To develop the framework, first, the timestamp of patient arrival time at each station was collected at the triage and medical record department of Thammasat University Hospital in Thailand. A patient satisfaction assessment method was used to convert the time spend into a satisfaction score. Then, the simulation model was built from the current situation of the hospital and was applied scenario analyses for the model improvement. The models were verified and validated. The weighted max–min for fuzzy multi-objective optimization was done by minimizing the operating cost and maximizing the patient satisfaction score. The operating costs and patient satisfaction scores from various scenarios were statistically compared. Finally, a decision-making guideline was proposed to support suitable resource management at the front-end departments of the hospital. Result The three scenarios of the simulation model were built (i.e., a real situation, a one-stop service, and partially shared resources) and ensured to be verified and valid. The optimized results were compared and grouped into three situations which are (1) remain the same satisfaction score but decrease the cost (cost decreased by 2.8%) (2) remain the same satisfaction score but increase the cost (cost increased up to 80%) and (3) decrease the satisfaction score and decrease the cost (satisfaction decreased up to 82% and cost decreased up to 59%). According to the guideline, the situations 1 and 3 were recommended to use in the improvement and the situation 2 was rejected. Conclusion This research demonstrates the resource management framework for the front-end department of the hospital. The experimental results imply that the framework can be used to support the decision making in resource management and used to reduce the risk of applying a non-improvement model in a real situation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T00:14:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cc1595db3720475597912ed1a53551ca |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6947 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T00:14:56Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making |
| spelling | doaj.art-cc1595db3720475597912ed1a53551ca2022-12-21T19:22:15ZengBMCBMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making1472-69472022-01-0122112110.1186/s12911-022-01750-8Resource management framework using simulation modeling and multi-objective optimization: a case study of a front-end department of a public hospital in ThailandTanatorn Tanantong0Warut Pannakkong1Nittaya Chemkomnerd2Thammasat Research Unit in Data Innovation and Artificial Intelligence, Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Thammasat UniversitySchool of Manufacturing Systems and Mechanical Engineering, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat UniversitySchool of Manufacturing Systems and Mechanical Engineering, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat UniversityAbstract Background The overcrowded patients, which cause the long waiting time in public hospitals, become significant problems that affect patient satisfaction toward the hospital. Particularly, the bottleneck usually happens at front-end departments (e.g., the triage and medical record department) as every patient is firstly required to visit these departments. The problem is mainly caused by ineffective resource management. In order to support decision making in the resource management at front-end departments, this paper proposes a framework using simulation and multi-objective optimization techniques considering both operating cost and patient satisfaction. Methods To develop the framework, first, the timestamp of patient arrival time at each station was collected at the triage and medical record department of Thammasat University Hospital in Thailand. A patient satisfaction assessment method was used to convert the time spend into a satisfaction score. Then, the simulation model was built from the current situation of the hospital and was applied scenario analyses for the model improvement. The models were verified and validated. The weighted max–min for fuzzy multi-objective optimization was done by minimizing the operating cost and maximizing the patient satisfaction score. The operating costs and patient satisfaction scores from various scenarios were statistically compared. Finally, a decision-making guideline was proposed to support suitable resource management at the front-end departments of the hospital. Result The three scenarios of the simulation model were built (i.e., a real situation, a one-stop service, and partially shared resources) and ensured to be verified and valid. The optimized results were compared and grouped into three situations which are (1) remain the same satisfaction score but decrease the cost (cost decreased by 2.8%) (2) remain the same satisfaction score but increase the cost (cost increased up to 80%) and (3) decrease the satisfaction score and decrease the cost (satisfaction decreased up to 82% and cost decreased up to 59%). According to the guideline, the situations 1 and 3 were recommended to use in the improvement and the situation 2 was rejected. Conclusion This research demonstrates the resource management framework for the front-end department of the hospital. The experimental results imply that the framework can be used to support the decision making in resource management and used to reduce the risk of applying a non-improvement model in a real situation.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-022-01750-8Resource managementDiscrete event simulationPatient satisfactionMulti-objective optimizationPublic hospital |
| spellingShingle | Tanatorn Tanantong Warut Pannakkong Nittaya Chemkomnerd Resource management framework using simulation modeling and multi-objective optimization: a case study of a front-end department of a public hospital in Thailand BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making Resource management Discrete event simulation Patient satisfaction Multi-objective optimization Public hospital |
| title | Resource management framework using simulation modeling and multi-objective optimization: a case study of a front-end department of a public hospital in Thailand |
| title_full | Resource management framework using simulation modeling and multi-objective optimization: a case study of a front-end department of a public hospital in Thailand |
| title_fullStr | Resource management framework using simulation modeling and multi-objective optimization: a case study of a front-end department of a public hospital in Thailand |
| title_full_unstemmed | Resource management framework using simulation modeling and multi-objective optimization: a case study of a front-end department of a public hospital in Thailand |
| title_short | Resource management framework using simulation modeling and multi-objective optimization: a case study of a front-end department of a public hospital in Thailand |
| title_sort | resource management framework using simulation modeling and multi objective optimization a case study of a front end department of a public hospital in thailand |
| topic | Resource management Discrete event simulation Patient satisfaction Multi-objective optimization Public hospital |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-022-01750-8 |
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