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Improving the Flow of Patients Through Healthcare Organizations

In: Handbook of Healthcare Operations Management

Author

Listed:
  • Steven M. Thompson

    (University of Richmond)

  • Robert Day

    (University of Connecticut)

  • Robert Garfinkel

    (University of Connecticut)

Abstract

Healthcare organizations face a challenging operational environment characterized by uncertain demand, the need to deliver highly complex and specialized services, and increasing pressure to provide better quality care to more patients at lower total cost. Healthcare organizations invest substantial financial resources into the human, technological, and structural assets needed to provide a wide range of healthcare services. Determining how much capacity is made available, how that capacity is allocated to patients, and how various specialized units in the organization coordinate their activities are important drivers of performance. In particular, healthcare organizations continuously evaluate the flow of patients through the organization as different healthcare services are provided. If patients do not flow smoothly through the healthcare delivery process, either due to inadequate capacity or the inefficient use of capacity, then patient satisfaction and quality of care can suffer. This chapter provides an overview of the concept of patient flow as one measure of the quality and effectiveness of healthcare delivery, examines some of the most significant challenges to improving patient flow, provides an overview of prior operations research related to patient flow, and discusses current factors that are driving future research opportunities.

Suggested Citation

  • Steven M. Thompson & Robert Day & Robert Garfinkel, 2013. "Improving the Flow of Patients Through Healthcare Organizations," International Series in Operations Research & Management Science, in: Brian T. Denton (ed.), Handbook of Healthcare Operations Management, edition 127, chapter 0, pages 183-204, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:isochp:978-1-4614-5885-2_7
    DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-5885-2_7
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    Cited by:

    1. Verónica Duque-Uribe & William Sarache & Elena Valentina Gutiérrez, 2019. "Sustainable Supply Chain Management Practices and Sustainable Performance in Hospitals: A Systematic Review and Integrative Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-30, October.

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