Multiple Jobs – Multiple Routes
Health Care Example
Suppose there is a health diagnostic centre which provides services to the arriving patients. Three
types of patients arrive, and they undergo a preliminary investigation before further tests are done.
There are dedicated preliminary investigation facilities available for each of the three types of
customers.
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•
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Patient Type 1 compulsorily have to undergo tests in the Coronary Unit and the Radiology
departments in the diagnostics centre in that order.
Patient Type 2 generally require some tests in the Radiology Department. However, after
Preliminary Investigation, 20% of them will be asked to go the Coronary Unit first for some tests
and from there they will proceed to the Radiology Department.
Patient Type 3 undergo Gynaecology related tests.
After all tests are done, all the three types of patients visit a common facility in which a pool of
doctors is available. One of the doctors meets with the patient, reviews the reports and provides
further advice wherever required. Irrespective of the patient type, they meet any of the available
doctor for this final review.
The following are the Process Times, Number of Resources Available at Each Stage:
Department
Preliminary Investigation
(Patient Type 1)
Preliminary Investigation
(Patient Type 2)
Preliminary Investigation
(Patient Type 3)
Coronary Unit
Radiology Department
Gynecology Department
Final Review
Process Time (min)
20
No. of Resources
Available
5
15
6
10
5
30
10
20
10
5
5
8
10
Based on some historical trends, the diagnostic centre expects the potential daily arrivals of the three
patient types as follows:
Patient Type 1: 100; Patient Type 2: 200; Patient Type 3: 220
Given this information, analyse the process and make estimates of capacity in order to develop some
insights into the process