Explain queuing theory and give examples of the ways in which it might benefit a hospital providing services to the public.
Service organisations such as hospitals can benefit from the generation of these ratios in the following ways:
- The calculated average waiting times for a service once measured can keep patients better informed. One example may be how long a particular patient may have to wait for a certain operation.
- The expected number of patients waiting at a point in time can be determined. This can help hospital managers verify staffing levels and opening times e.g. for accident and emergency, drop in clinics, etc.
- The probability of encountering the system that is either empty or full can be measured, for instance arriving at a hospital department at either a busy or 'slack' time. Using this information demand can be smoothed by actively using appointment systems and recommending times of attendance.