An analysis of emergency room wait time issues via computer simulation

This paper describes a study undertaken at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario to quantify issues surrounding the delivery of primary care through the hospital's emergency room. The project centres on a discrete event simulation model of the emergency room used to investigate issues contributing to wait time. Results indicate that patient wait time is affected by the availability of staff physicians and the amount of time physicians are required to spend engaged in the education of medical residents. Based on the recommendations of the study, the hospital's administration has implemented a fast track facility for treating patients with minor injuries and has increased the number of physician hours in the emergency room.