Each year, the assignment for the Systems Modelling and Simulation module changes slightly. In recent years, these assignments have encompassed themes like manufacturing, supply chain, and logistics. This year, we delve into the realm of healthcare. This foundational subject can be effectively employed to address various issues and establish common performance indicators. Embrace the challenge of this year’s assignment.
A clinical centre in a war-torn country in a remote area receives patients with varying priorities. The centre works 24 hours a day and admits two types of patients.
Patient Type 1 (Low Priority):
These are patients who are of low priority and are typically treated by either Clinical Nurses (CN) or General Practitioners (GP). These patients arrive at the Triage station, where they are registered and assessed by admission staff. The registration follows a Poisson distribution with an average of 8 minutes. If CNs are unavailable, GPs step in for assessment. Once diagnosed and treated, these patients receive their medications before leaving the clinic. The processing time varies from 7 to 10 minutes.
Patient Type 2 (High Priority):
Patients with severe illnesses or injuries are given high priority and don’t undergo the admission process. Instead, they’re directly assessed at the Triage by a CN or GP. After surgery (if needed), they are admitted to the Ward, where they receive continuous care.
The clinical centre uses ambulances and has a limited capacity for each priority level.
Machines in the Centre:
- ECG: Three devices available with mean time to failure of 10 days.