Renaissance Clinic (B)

On a hillside in Rolling wood, a community just southwest of Austin, Texas, the Renaissance Clinic provides dedicated obstetric and gynecological services. The medical treatment at this facility is wrapped in an exclusive-feeling physical environment that is distinctly unique in Austin. The practice of Dr. Margaret Thompson is one of supporting care within an efficient and friendly facility. Attention to the ambiance is reflected in a brightly colored interior that makes patients feel better just entering. A relaxed atmosphere prevails in the birthing rooms that are large enough to hold several family members in a homelike atmosphere of wood floors and quilts on the beds.

The practice is intimate-only a receptionist and a nurse clinician assist Dr. Thompson. The receptionist has been trained to screen patients and directs them either to the nurse clinician waiting area or to Dr. Thompson's waiting area. Some patients, following a preliminary examination by the nurse clinician, will be asked to join the queue to see Dr. Thompson. Figure 16.13shows the flow of patients during routine office visits. The arrival rate per hour was found to be Poisson distributed [E (inter arrival time in minutes)], and the service times in minutes were uniformly distributed [U(range)] for the receptionist and normally distributed [N( , )] for the nurse and physician. The data in Table 16.13were collected over several days of typical activity.

Assignments

1. Assume the waiting lines at the receptionist, the nurse clinician, and the doctor are managed independently with a FCFS priority. Model this system using Service Model to determine the utilization of each resource (receptionist, nurse clinician, and physician) and the distribution of time in the system for an arriving patient. Begin by selecting the Build menu-Background Graphic-Behind Grid. Then select the Edit menu-Import Graphic-Pracmod. This will give you an office floor plan on which you can arrange furniture.

2. If you could hire one more person to augment the staff, what position would be your choice (receptionist, nurse clinician, or physician)? How have the clinic performance measures changed after hiring one more person?

3. What further advice would you give Dr. Thompson on the operation of her clinic?

Figure: Flow OF Patient for Routine Office Visits

Table: Processing Data at Renaissance Clinic