title: Effective ambulatory service capacity management.
abstract: An effective capacity management program can increase operational productivities while reducing patient congestion. A framework for ambulatory care capacity management is presented that includes both demand-smoothing and supply-matching strategies. A case study focuses on analyzing congestion in the patient care delivery process at a medical oncology outpatient clinic. Through the use of a balanced and coordinated set of capacity management strategies, a low-cost approach to improved performance may be designed.
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004526:Efficiency; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006782:Hospitals, Special / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009516:New Mexico; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D010934:Planning Techniques; D013996:Time and Motion Studies; D014850:Waiting Lists