Bed-Occupancy Management in the Emergency Wards of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi using the Queuing Model.

Abstract

Background: Patients who present at the Emergency Departments require specialized care and therefore should have access to beds, where necessary, in a timely manner. This study was aimed at using the queuing model to determine the optimal number of beds required for zero delay probability at the emergency wards of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, Benue State Nigeria.

Methodology: The study used the M/G/C/C queuing model for bed optimization at the emergency wards. Information on arrival, length of stay and number of beds for each of the wards covering three years viz. 2014, 2015 and 2016 were obtained from the medical records department. The average arrival rate and average length of stay were used to determine the delay (blocking) probability and the other performance measures.

Results: The delay probabilities at the current bed capacities were 0.11, 0.069, 0.023 and 0.011 for the male, female, paediatric and gynaecology emergency wards respectively. The number of beds required for zero delay probabilities for the male, female, paediatric and gynaecology emergency wards were 16, 14, 14 and 6 respectively instead of the current number of beds: 8, 8, 9 and 4 respectively.

Conclusion: The study found that at the current bed capacity situation of the emergency wards of Benue State University Teaching Hospital, delay probabilities are on the average high. The model for the hospital emergency wards showed that the optimal bed capacities for Male, Female, Paediatric and Gynaecology Emergency wards are 16, 14, 14, and 6 respectively.  The queuing model should be carried out at regular intervals across the wards and should be part of the management decision making processes of the hospital.