Optimization of Patient Flow in Urgent Care Centers Using a Digital Tool for Recording Patient Symptoms and History: Simulation Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Crowding can negatively affect patient and staff experience, and consequently the performance of health care facilities. Crowding can potentially be eased through streamlining and the reduction of duplication in patient history-taking through the use of a digital symptom-taking app.

Objective

We simulated the introduction of a digital symptom-taking app on patient flow. We hypothesized that waiting times and crowding in an urgent care center (UCC) could be reduced, and that this would be more efficient than simply adding more staff.

Methods

A discrete-event approach was used to simulate patient flow in a UCC during a 4-hour time frame. The baseline scenario was a small UCC with 2 triage nurses, 2 doctors, 1 treatment/examination nurse, and 1 discharge admin

SUBMITTER: Montazeri M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8178735 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature