Evaluating admissions control in a surgical progressive-care system

Abstract

To be able to optimise perfonnance variables such as rates of bed-occupancy, staff utilization and numbers of delayed or cancelled admissions in any healthcare unit, the rate at which patients are admitted to that unit must be controlled. However, before these performance variables may be controlled it is necessary to identify and measure those factors which limit optimisation and control. This paper presents the results of a study which attempts to identify and measure control limiting factors in the operation of a surgical progressive-care system using a novel approach to control system evaluation.