title: Collection and preparation of sensor network data to support modeling and analysis of outpatient clinics.
abstract: Simulation studies of outpatient clinics often involve significant data collection challenges. We describe an approach for data collection using sensor networks which facilitates the collection of a large volume of very detailed patient flow data through healthcare clinics. Such data requires extensive preprocessing before it is ready for analysis. We present a general data preparation framework for sensor network generated data with particular emphasis on the creation and analysis of patient path strings. Several examples of the analysis of sensor network data are also presented. Our approach has been used in two large outpatient clinics in the United States.
authors.affiliation: Department of Decision and Information Sciences, School of Business Administration, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309, USA. isken@oakland.edu
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Isken
authors.forename: Vijayan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sugumaran
authors.forename: Timothy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Minds
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ferris
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006801:Humans; D014481:United States