A priority queuing model to reduce waiting times in emergency care.
Investigates the increased waiting time costs imposed on society due to inappropriate use of the emergency department by patients, seeking non-emergency or primary care. Proposes a simple economic model to illustrate the effect of this misuse at a public or not-for-profit hospital. Provides evidence that non-emergency patients contribute to lengthy delays in the ER for all classes of patients. Proposes a priority queuing model to reduce average waiting times.
Siddharthan
K
K
Department of Health Policy and Management, University of South Florida, Tampa, USA.
Jones
W J
WJ
Johnson
J A
JA
D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D018803:Models, Economic; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017748:Time Management; D014481:United States; D014850:Waiting Lists