Primary care redesign: A simulation study at a pediatric clinic

UW Health (the integrated health system at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI) has been engaged in a multi-year initiative to transform the primary care delivery system. In support of the redesign, discrete event simulation models are developed to analyze the patient flows of pediatric care processes with complex interactions among patients, care providers, and other resources. Using the simulation models, the patient length of stay is evaluated. Analyses with respect to patient demands, staffing levels, and schedule changes are carried out. Such models can help reduce unnecessary variations in care delivery processes, ensure the high efficiency of staff and engage patients in process improvement. This will provide healthcare professionals quantitative tools to evaluate the impact on the system when various input variables are modified, study predicted outcomes and focus improvement efforts based on model analyses, which can lead to significant savings.