Title: Balancing the surgical capacity in a hospital

Authors: Henriette Ravn, Lars Odd Petersen

Addresses: Department of Budgeting and Planning, Amager Hospital, Italiensvej 1, 2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark. ' Danish Institute of Health Services Research, Dampfaergevej 27–29, 2100 Copenhagen OE, Denmark

Abstract: This paper describes a case in which the surgical activity in a hospital is mapped in order to improve the daily operation. The procedure and tools are inspired by system dynamics and the concept of The Learning Organisation. They are found to fit in well with the ideas and principles of lean production, where mapping is essential. A working group has mapped the flow of patients and a list of hard and soft data needed to fulfil the analysis was specified. Data extracted from the hospital|s patient administrative system were presented and validated in the working group to ensure common insight, understanding and commitment. Diagram and data founded a dynamic simulation model. With the model bottlenecks and organisational slack was identified. It is shown that the surgical activity can be increased by 36%. The hospital management has started the system adjustments needed to achieve this potential increase in productivity.

Keywords: hospitals; surgical activity mapping; simulation; surgical capacity; system dynamics; tools; learning organisation; healthcare management; lean production; patient flows; bottlenecks; organisational slack; productivity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHTM.2007.014193

International Journal of Healthcare Technology and Management, 2007 Vol.8 No.6, pp.603 - 624

Published online: 25 Jun 2007 *

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