title: Switchboard simulation to improve productivity and customer service.
abstract: An application of classical industrial engineering/operations research techniques (i.e., multichannel queueing analysis) and detailed workload distribution data. An analytic simulation model developed on a personal computer (PC) is used with interactive analysis to develop switchboard coverage requirements and optimal staffing schedules by time of day and day of week. This represents a tangible example of how classical techniques can be used with newer approaches and a close working relationship between the analyst and line management, to solve a practical problem of optimizing both productivity and customer service quality.
authors.affiliation: Straub Clinic and Hospital, Honolulu, HI, USA.
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: LaCourse
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D006123:Group Practice / Q000458:organization & administration; D006254:Hawaii; D006747:Hospital Communication Systems / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006770:Hospitals, Group Practice / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009874:Operations Research; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000592:standards*; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D012984:Software; D016526:Workload