An Optimization Model and Computer Simulation for Allocation Planning of Hospital Bed Resources

Abstract

Aim. This study intends to improve the arrangement of hospital beds, make rational use of limited beds to minimize the time for patients to seek medical care, improve service quality, and reduce hospital operating costs. Methods. This study determines the reasonable evaluation indices, established a reasonable evaluation index system, and assesses the merits and demerits of the bed arrangement model for this problem. After observing and dealing with various types of patients’ conditions in the ophthalmology outpatient department of the hospital, some effective hospitalization rules are proposed. The coefficients of each evaluation index under the FCFS (first-come first-service) and hospitalization rules are obtained, and a mathematical model of evaluation indices is constructed. The merits and demerits of the evaluation index system under each rule are found with MATLAB programming. At the same time, considering that the five types of patients are in a certain serial sequence during the queuing process for medical treatments, a random planning model with the least average stay time of patient is established via introducing the corresponding joint probability density function for the stay time of each patient. The proportional allocation of beds is obtained by genetic algorithms with the speed and convenience of computer calculations. Results. The proportions of beds allocated to the five categories of patients with trauma, cataract in one eye, cataract in both the eyes, glaucoma, and retina are 15%, 16%, 28%, 11%, and 29%, respectively. Conclusion. The results are in good agreement with the actual situation, and the optimization model has a certain degree of reference significance for the reasonable allocation of beds.