Effect of spoke design on occupancy: a simulation model.

The flow of patients into and through a hospital is simulated to determine the effect of flexible care-unit boundaries on hospital performance. Using empirical admissions data as input, the model depicts the variations in occupancy level, waiting time for admission, and number of admission requests not accommodated under various administrative policies. A policy that allows maximum flexibility, with boundaries permitted to vary over a wide range for all admission requests, is found to offer a possibility of increasing the occupancy level of a 99-bed hospital by nearly 6 percent. The potential applicability of the model to scheduling and other administrative problems is discussed.