USING SIMULATION TO DESIGN A WORKLIFE INTEGRATED PRACTICE UNIT

Abstract

Fragmentation is a common problem in the United States healthcare delivery system. For patients with complex medical conditions requiring multiple providers, this problem is particularly perplexing. One solution being developed, called an Integrated Practice Unit (IPU), involves a co-located multidisciplinary team of providers addressing a patient’s medical condition over a full care cycle. In this paper, we use simulation to design a WorkLife IPU that treats medical issues arising in the workplace from minor illnesses to acute non-urgent injuries. More specifically, we determine a patient appointment schedule and the number of resources required to achieve patient throughput, clinic closing time, and patient waiting time targets set by the IPU management.