Analysis of capacity management of the intensive care unit in a hospital

A hospital's intensive care unit (ICU) is a limited and critical resource. The efficient utilization of ICU capacity impacts on both the welfare of patients and the hospital's cost effectiveness. Decisions made in the ICU affect the operations of other departments. Yet, decision making in an ICU tends to be mainly subjective and lacking in clear criteria upon which to base any given decision. This study analyzes the admission-and-discharge processes of one particular ICU, that of a public hospital in Hong Kong, by using queuing and computer simulation models built with actual data from the ICU. The results provide insights into the operations management issues of an ICU facility to help improve both the unit's capacity utilization and the quality of care provided to its patients.