Kaiser Permanente Emergency Department
Operational Modeling and Facility Sizing Optimization
CHALLENGE
In 2012, a landlocked emergency department could not expand, while its annual patient volume had grown far beyond the initial sizing. Traditional sizing methods indicated 39 treatment bays were required to service 49,000+ patient visits by 2021 with an estimated current deficit at 5 bays rising to 9 bays by 2017. Physical changes to the department would take 3 years to complete and would have been capital intensive.
APPROACH
Our 3-phase project approach used data for scenario modeling integrated with the simulation modeling tool to determine if operational changes could assuage the overcrowding problem. All project stakeholders were able to participate in the scenarios, with almost 200 different configurations explored to find the best result.
SOLUTION
After simulating and optimizing both scenarios, we found two solutions to increase throughput and reduce the number of treatment bays needed in the future. Implementing immediate bedding, adding a results sub-waiting area and adding urgent care with high decantation produced the lowest total cost of ownership that meets the client’s performance targets. Our solution gave our client a total of $22 million savings based on the owner’s calculations.
“Aditazz’s new system is a technological game changer that has significant social value, and may become the one factor that finally helps contain the growth of healthcare cost as a percentage of the gross domestic product.”
Larry Funk, MPA, FACHE, Hospital Executive
Aditazz
2811 Mission College Blvd 7th Floor
Santa Clara, CA 95054