Arena Simulation Software Can Improve Patient Care

Hospitals are using Arena to eliminate the guesswork and use factual data to help patients and save lives. While manufacturers use Arena – to efficiently change over operations and find the optimal way to stagger shifts, for example – hospitals model in Arena to anticipate the amount of resources they need for day to day operations.

We have supported field projects where there is uncertainty in the amount of resources needed, approaching scheduling problems to improve patient care, ambulatory routing, and more.

For example, we helped a cancer treatment clinic better manage patient care. A recent medical breakthrough meant more patients were surviving – and as a result, the number of appointments increased. Unfortunately, patient wait times exceed five hours.

The hospital needed to more efficiently stagger appointments to reduce those wait times and the long hours the medical staff was working. With simulation, the facility found the right combination of appointment/staff scheduling to ease the burden on both ends.

Keep Up With Changing Conditions

Pandemics increase the number of incoming patients and the number of specific resources needed. Adjusting the model to represent the anticipated patient increase allows hospitals to respond effectively.

COVID-19 has presented so much uncertainty, making us question what needs to be done and how fast we need to make changes. Factual data will help healthcare companies prepare to face whatever the next day might bring.

Resources in New York, like other large metropolitan areas, are stretched thin. As the anticipated number of patients increases, hospitals must respond quickly to provide as much care as possible. Here’s just one example of simulation software in action: Northwell University and Lenox Hill Hospital teamed up to convert their pediatric outpatient surgery area into an adult intensive care unit and used Arena to become as efficient as possible – and save lives.

Data helps decision-makers understand the flow of systems and the constraints of resources, including doctors, nurses and equipment. Planners can prepare for pandemics, flu season, natural disasters, and caregivers can be ready.