Simulation Modeling as a Lean Tool for Healthcare Design: Determining Room Utilization and Staffing in the Emergency Department

This article focuses on operational planning and simulation modeling for the design of healthcare facilities. The article outlines the process conducted for the design of an emergency department, where room utilization and staffing were examined based on the current and projected number of patients. A simulation model was developed to simulate patient flow, where patient wait times, census, and staffing rations were used as the key metrics to evaluate the efficacy of the emergency department design. The results were used to determine design scenarios that would better use the space and reduce patient wait times.

keywords: simulation modeling, lean, process mapping, operational planning, staffing