Could we employ the queueing theory to improve efficiency during future mass causality incidents?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Preparation for a disaster or accident-related mass casualty events is often based on experience. The objective measures or tools for evaluating decision-making and effectiveness during such events are underdeveloped. Queueing theory has been suggested to evaluate the effectiveness of mass causality incidents (MCI) plans.

Objective

Using different types of real MCI, we aimed to determine if a queueing network model could be used as a tool to assist in preparing plans to address mass causality incidents.

Methods

We collected information from two types of mass casualty events: a motor vehicle accident and a dust explosion. Patient characteristics, time intervals of every working station, numbers of physicians and nurses attending, and time required by physici

SUBMITTER: Lin CC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6458797 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature