A Monte Carlo computer model to investigate patient scheduling.

A Monte Carlo computer model was developed to investigate various types of patient appointment schedules for a single channel queue. Input parameters included the incidence of no-shows, the rate of unscheduled walk-ins, the frequency distribution of physician examination times, and the string of appointment times. The results included the frequency distributions of physician utilization rates and the total waiting time of all patients. Five hospital clinics were simulated. Even increment schedules yielded the best trade-off between physician utilization and patient waiting.