Outpatient Clinic @ Hospital

I like the idea of sharing FlexSim projects, so I'll post. (6/13-8/13).

1. Hello to the FlexSim staff - I've interacted with many of you and I very much appreciate your support!

2. I am an academic licensee working on a simulation for graduate school (Lehigh University).
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Project: Outpatient Clinic @ Hospital
Location: Philadelphia, PA


Summary:
This outpatient clinic has a total of 8 physicians from the main hospital and 2-3 specialists who come 1-2 a month. There are 9 general use exam tables/rooms with another 2-3 if needed. The hospital's physicians typically work either 2 days a week or mornings 4 days a week. So the schedules overlap: Monday being swamped and Friday being a light patient load. The purpose of this simulation is two-fold: (1) Observe workflow, habits, adherence to best practices - while collecting the data for (2) analyzing where we can add additional services (possibly a Medical Home).
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Observing:

• Workflow of clinicians: physicians related their speciality, nurses and nurse aides. As well as any additional staff pulled off the hospital floor to address issues (dieticians, skin care, etc)
• Workflow of staff - Registration, Scheduling, Records, Social Workers. Registration and scheduling are easy, social workers are challenging.
• Times: tracking the patient's experience.

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Simulating:

• After the data is collected during the observing phase it goes to summaries in excel and finding good stats.
• FlexSim time! Draw it up, paths, tracks and enter the data.
• (Currently @) Making scenarios and addressing many of the questions.

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Additional Info:
Originally the scope was small, but as the project continued and others in the hospital were taught the benefits of simulating quite a few more questions were asked. I did not wait for my University to assign me with a hospital system familiar with simulation tools, I literally walked in, presented on benefits, showed them a proof of concept and they agreed.


(I know what you're saying, who would pass up a free graduate student right? BUT I have direct access to every physician daily and the CMO when I can find him. Plus this data will support decisions related to the clinic, hospital's CMS Innovation Grant and much more.)

Feel free to ask any questions or make comments, I may have some screenshots in the near future.

Sounds like a great project and a good use of Simulation. Thanks for posting!

Robert, Thanks for submitting a first post on how the software is being used. Now I'll try to encourage others to do the same.

Thanks. Robert. Your application in outpatient clinic @ hospital will help me to make sales and proposals to my prospects.

Robert,

Can you share any progress you've made on your outpatient model?

Thanks! :-)

*** Wayne Fischer ***
Statistician
University of Texas Medical Branch

I will dig up my results. Sorry I haven't followed up sooner I'm now up at Geisinger. My department uses 'another' product for simulation. I do miss FlexSim (and it was good to see the booth at the IIE SHS conference in February!).

Robert

Thanks, Robert - looking forward to learning from it! :-)

*** Wayne ***