University of Twente Student Theses
The design of an Acute Medical Unit
Wilbers, G.G.B. (2023) The design of an Acute Medical Unit.
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| Abstract: | An Acute Medical Unit (AMU) is a specialized hospital ward that admits patients with acute medical conditions from Emergency Departments. The main goal of the AMU is to diagnose and stabilize patients. Hospitals face the challenge of increasing patient numbers without being able to expand physically, leading to a need for improved efficiency. This involves reducing the Length of Stay (LoS) and treatment time for patients. Implementing an AMU has the potential to enhance efficiency in both the Emergency Department and Medical Wards. We propose a four-step approach for designing an effective AMU in hospitals. This approach involves determining patient eligibility, identifying necessary facilities, optimizing the layout, and allocating appropriate bed capacities and designated periods. The admission criteria for the AMU are derived from a thorough review of existing literature and the hospital’s expertise. Similarly, the identification of required facilities is based on relevant literature and the hospital’s knowledge. To determine the dimensions of the AMU, we utilize Discrete Event Simulation (DES), integrating the admission criteria into the simulation model. Although the literature discusses the fourth step, the case study conducted in this research provides limited information on it. We validate and test the four-step approach using historical data from a medium-sized Dutch hospital. The case study results confirm the practical value of the step-wise approach. However, further attention is needed to address specific aspects within each step, such as the anticipated reduction in Length of Stay for patients in different wards and the development of an efficient layout. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 58 process technology |
| Programme: | Industrial Engineering and Management MSc (60029) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/96940 |
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