Balancing the surgical capacity in a hospital

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.