An agent-based simulation combined with group decision-making technique for improving the performance of an emergency department

This study presents an agent-based simulation modeling in an emergency department. In a traditional approach, a supervisor (or a manager) allocates the resources (receptionist, nurses, doctors, etc.) to different sections based on personal experience or by using decision-support tools. In this study, each staff agent took part in the process of allocating resources based on their observation in their respective sections, which gave the system the advantage of utilizing all the available human resources during the workday by being allocated to a different section. In this simulation, unlike previous studies, all staff agents took part in the decision-making process to re-allocate the resources in the emergency department. The simulation modeled the behavior of patients, receptionists, triage nurses, emergency room nurses and doctors. Patients were able to decide whether to stay in the system or leave the department at any stage of treatment. In order to evaluate the performance of this approach, 6 different scenarios were introduced. In each scenario, various key performance indicators were investigated before and after applying the group decision-making. The outputs of each simulation were number of deaths, number of patients who leave the emergency department without being attended, length of stay, waiting time and total number of discharged patients from the emergency department. Applying the self-organizing approach in the simulation showed an average of 12.7 and 14.4% decrease in total waiting time and number of patients who left without being seen, respectively. The results showed an average increase of 11.5% in total number of discharged patients from emergency department.

Estruturação da área de informação em saúde a partir da gerência de recursos informacionais: análise de experiência / Using information resources management to set up the area of health information: a case analysis

OBJETIVO: Relatar a experiência da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Belo Horizonte (SMSA/BH), no Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil, na aplicação dos conceitos da gerência de recursos informacionais (GRI) para o desenvolvimento de um sistema de informação em saúde. MÉTODOS: Neste estudo de caso foram analisados documentos que descrevem as iniciativas na área de informação, seus mecanismos de estruturação e resultados alcançados com um sistema de gestão focado no prontuário eletrônico, no período de 2003 a 2008. Esse processo é descrito e analisado a partir do conceito de GRI. RESULTADOS: O sistema contribuiu para a mudança do modelo assistencial a partir da informatização integrada de 103 unidades básicas de saúde, nove unidades especializadas e 503 equipes de saúde da família, com ênfase nas informações relevantes para o programa saúde da família. CONCLUSÕES: Os seguintes componentes da GRI foram aplicados: estruturação de um locus único para as tecnologias de informação e a área de informação, potencial de alavancagem das tecnologias de informação e fórum estratégico de decisão quanto à informação. A limitação encontrada refere-se à utilização de informação estratégica para a tomada de decisão de longo prazo.

OBJECTIVE: To report the experience of the City Department of Health in Belo Horizonte (SMSA/BH), state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, with the use of information resources management (IRM) to develop a health information system. METHODS: In this case study we reviewed documents describing initiatives in the area of information, the mechanisms used to enable these initiatives, and the results achieved with a management system focused on the implementation of an electronic medical records system in the period from 2003 to 2008. This process is described and analyzed from the perspective of IRM. RESULTS: The system contributed to a change in the health care model, resulting from the electronic integration of 103 basic health units, 9 specialized units, and 503 family health teams, with emphasis on information that was relevant for the family health program. CONCLUSIONS: The following IRM components were effectively implemented as part of the electronic system: creation of a single locus for the areas of information technology and information, potential leveraging of information technology, and establishment of a strategic forum for information-related decision-making. One limitation refers to the use of strategic information for long-term decision-making.

Análisis médico, método experimental y cirugía teórica: su importancia en la formación del cirujano general / Rational analytical and surgical practice in a theorical model

El presente trabajo intenta aportar un modelo teórico para una práctica quirúrgica racional, analítica y crítica. Creemos que la cirugía como técnica y ciencia en la cual se manejan grandes cantidades de información puede ser enfocada desde las disciplinas que se ocupan del análisis en la toma de decisiones, y en el reciente campo de las especialidades médicas teóricas. El modelo pretende un mejor aprovechamiento de los recursos humanos y técnicos, y de los conocimientos brindados por las ciencias básicas. En el Hospital Italiano con la creación de un área de desarrollo científico se intenta verificar experimentalmente este modelo teórico