RESOURCE REALLOCATION IN AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE SYSTEM USING COMPUTER SIMULATION
Resource
THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE v.20 n.7 pp.627-34
Journal
THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE
Journal Volume
v.20
Journal Issue
n.7
Pages
627-34
Date Issued
2002
Date
2002
Author(s)
SU, SYI
SHIH, CHUNG-LIANG
Abstract
Emergency medical service (EMS) policy makers must seek to achieve maximum effectiveness with finite resources. This research establishes an EMS computer simulation model using eM-Plant software. The simulation model is based on Taipei city's EMS system with input data from prehospital care records from December 2000; it manipulates resource allocation levels and rates of idle errands. Presently, EMS ambulance utilization is about 8.78%. On average, 20.89 minutes are required to transport a patient to the hospital. Computer simulations showed that reducing the number of ambulances to one at each of the 36 response units increases the utilization rate to 15.47% but does not compromise the current service quality level. Thus, ambulance utilization improves, times of patients waiting for pre-hospital care and arrival at hospitals are only slightly affected, and considerable cost savings result. This study provides a research methodology and suggests specific policy directions for resource allocation in EMS. Limiting the number of ambulances to one per response unit reduces costs, increases efficiency, and yet maintains the same operational pattern of medical service. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.)
Subjects
Computer Simulation
Delivery of Health Care
Emergency Service
Hospital
Medical Records
Resource Allocation
Time Factors
Type
journal article
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