Resource Allocation Using Queuing Theory In A Walk-In Clinic

Abstract

The objective of this research is to produce a simple tool to assist health care management in quantifying the tradeoffs between different resource allocations. In many cases, intuition results in an appropriate selection; the quandary, however, is typically over the magnitude of improvement. The problem addressed herein uses queuing theory in the context of a hypothetical walk-in clinic. Different resource allocations are compared on the basis of the expected number of patients in the waiting room. Without comparative numbers, managers are forced to guesstimate the difference in expected queue lengths. Fact-based decisions not only improve quality but give the decision maker a sense of comfort.