title: A novel client service quality measuring model and an eHealthcare mitigating approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Facing population ageing in Hong Kong, the demand of long-term elderly health care services is increasing. The challenge is to support a good quality service under the constraints faced by recent shortage of nursing and care services professionals without redesigning the work flow operated in the existing elderly health care industries. the existing elderly health care industries.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Total QoS measure based on Finite Capacity Queuing Model is a reliable method and an effective measurement for Quality of services. The value is good for measuring the staffing level and offers a measurement for efficiency enhancement when incorporate new technologies like ICT. The implemented system has improved the Quality of Service by more than 14% and the extra released manpower resource will allow clinical care provider to offer further value added services without actually increasing head count.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have developed a novel Quality of Service measurement for Clinical Care services based on multi-queue using finite capacity queue model M/M/c/K/n and the measurement is useful for estimating the shortage of staff resource in a caring institution. It is essential for future integration with the existing widely used assessment model to develop reliable measuring limits which allow an effective measurement of public fund used in health care industries.
authors.affiliation: City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. Electronic address: itlcheng@cityu.edu.hk.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: MaCaPS International Limited, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Wai Ping Choi
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Hong Kong Chinese Women's Club, Madam Wong Chan Sook, Ying Memorial Care and Attention Home for the Aged, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Anita Yiu Ming
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000592:standards* / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000592:standards; D008491:Medical Informatics Applications; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000592:standards; D017216:Telemedicine
keywords: Elderly services; Finite capacity queue; Staff shortage problem mitigation; Total quality of services