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Hospital Queue Management Systems' Effects

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 1st International Conference on Innovative Academic
Studies

https://www.icias.net/ September 10 - 13, 2022, Konya, Turkey

Hospital Queue Management Systems' Effects

Muhammad Ahmad Baballe1*, Aminu Ya’u2 Ibrahim Idris Giwa3, Usman Sani Farouk4, Ahmad Ado
Usman5, Yusuf Idris Muhammad6, Abdulkadir Shehu Bari7
1, 2, 3, 4,5
Kano State Polytechnic, Kano, Nigeria.
6
Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education Kumbotso, Kano, Nigeria.
7
Audu Bako College of Agriculture Danbatta, Kano, Nigeria.
*
mbaballe@kanopoly.edu.ng
*
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9441-7023

Abstract – Hospital patients' experiences have an impact on their contentment. The current study set out to
determine how using a queue management system might impact patient satisfaction in emergency hospital
waiting areas. Process engineering or simple queue management techniques like demand control, queue
prioritization, or staffing the emergency department are frequently used to address the problem of
overcrowding in an emergency department (ED). In daily life, waiting in lines is inevitable and cannot be
avoided. The time lost in lines can be converted into useful and pleasurable time, though. E-queue seeks to
reinvent the experience of standing in line by offering a practical, all-encompassing, and pleasurable
alternative. Designing a comprehensive queuing management system that will be used to register people in
lineups and offer real-time information on the waiting time for patients to see their doctors or nurses is one
way to address this issue. Therefore, e-Queue enables patients to make better use of the time they would
otherwise squander waiting in lines. Numerous queuing factors were taken into account, and research was
done on existing queuing systems. To give patients pertinent queuing information, E-Queue combines the
usage of a smartphone application, a cloud-based database, and information sharing over the internet. In
addition, it offers hospitals the chance to effectively manage their line-ups.

Keywords – Queue, Hospitals, Patients, Emergency Department, Management.

I. INTRODUCTION waiting [2]. Many people are becoming increasingly

Due to the research of Erlang, queueing theory concerned about long wait times in hospital
began in Denmark around 100 years ago. However, emergency rooms due to their numerous negative
despite the lengthy period of time since the first effects, including crowding, patients leaving out of
mathematical formulation, queueing mathematics frustration without receiving care, patients' and their
has not altered significantly [1]. Since "frequently relatives' irrational behavior, as well as stress on
the psychology of queueing is more important than both staff and patients [17]. A hospital's clinical and
the statistics of the delay itself," queueing non-clinical operations are often served by a series
psychology has taken precedence [2]. In addition to of unified modules that make up hospital
the length of the wait, queues are a frustrating management information systems (HMIS). Patient
everyday experience because of how one feels registration counters, bill payment counters,
throughout that time. For instance, research laboratory test requisitions, sample or report
suggests that when we have a general idea of how collection counters, pharmacy counters, as well as
long the wait will be, we are far more patient [3]. patient waiting areas for out-patient visits and
Furthermore, the time spent is actually regarded as appointments, are just a few examples of the service
passing more quickly than the time spent passively areas that make up the interfaces for transaction
management in HMIS. In these settings, managing
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high patient loads is difficult, and effective methods [7]. Batbagon et al[8] .'s I Queue system uses a web-
are required, particularly in tertiary care centers. A based QMS application augmented by Android
smart and efficient queue management system apps, along with supplemental services like report
(QMS) is now essential for improving patient production and data analytics for optimizing queue
experience and optimizing performance metrics for generation at service locations, to achieve
hospitals for efficient healthcare service delivery as comparable goals and functionality. A GSM-based
a result of the growing accessibility of mobile queue management system that merges a PC-based
devices and ubiquitous technologies [4]. Although system with a microcontroller has been presented by
many aspects of public service, especially in a Arun et al. [9]. Internet of Things [10-11] and
growing nation like Nigeria, have seen wireless technology-based strategies have also been
technological and efficiency advancements, put forth. The advantages of using a queue
queuing has historically remained constant. In the management system in improving hospital
past, one had to wait in line while moving forward performance metrics such patient length of stay
one at a time. Although numerous solutions, [12], waiting time for in-patient surgeries [13],
including queue priority and numbered tickets, have triaging in emergency departments [14], [15], and
been implemented in developed nations over the decision support [16] have also been described in
years, the reality is that people must wait in line for literature. This study describes an operational
as long as they require the services, regardless of hospital management information system that can
whether the issue is a lack of staff or facilities or a be simply equipped with a mobile-augmented smart
hospital's capacity that is insufficient for the queue management system (HMIS). It uses clever
population it serves. Long lines are a needless and algorithms for token generation and allocation and
undesirable strain for both patients and medical offers a variety of interfaces for token generation
workers, especially in an emergency room. Patients and consumption on mobile devices integrated with
receive lower-quality care, suffer from worse health hospital service counters. A single patient token can
outcomes, and express lower levels of satisfaction be used for efficient queue management across
when the availability of resources cannot keep up numerous hospital service areas, which enhances
with the demand for services. They are linked to a the patient experience and aids in tracking and
poor perception of the hospital stay. In my home optimizing important performance metrics for the
nation of Nigeria, a mechanism has been put in place hospital administration. We outline the system's
to deal with and resolve these problems. architectural and functional design along with an
example of how it was used to monitor the
II. LITERATURE REVIEW productivity of service counter employees during a
In order to shorten wait times at the OPD/doctor pilot project [4]. The hospital is in conformity with
visiting area, Hedau et al. [5] present the design and Electronic Health Record (EHR) standards and has
construction of a queue management system for a functioning HMIS [18], [19] with several modules
patients where an Android app offers interfaces to [20], [21], [22], [23]. In order to organize queuing
schedule appointments with doctors and systems, this research aims to create an automated
notifications are given to the patient. Additionally, queue management system that can assess the
their app offers hospital navigation instructions. queue's status and decide which client to service
Aizan et al. [6] offer a "walk-away" queue first. This study focuses primarily on the bank's
management system in which Android devices take queuing system, various methods to queuing
the place of traditional token dispensers and token algorithms that banks employ to service customers,
calling hardware at counters, and a service-based and the typical wait time. By utilizing two distinct
paradigm is presented for the creation and queue control systems that have evolved, this
management of tokens. As a result of collecting the queuing architecture model can transition between
user's mobile number at the time of token various scheduling algorithms based on the testing
generation, notifications are sent to users at a result, which is the average waiting time. The Intel
predetermined time limit prior to the anticipated Galileo Microcontroller, which is software
calling of the token. The advantages and use cases compatible with the Arduino software development
of a smart queue management system at a well- environment, regulates a number of processes. In
known hospital in Delhi, India, are listed by Sahney order to assess the systems' performance, many
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testing scenarios have been used [24]. The current parties. The Bluetooth module MH-10 is connected
study's goal was to determine how using a queue to the microcontroller ATMega8 as the sender and
management system in emergency care waiting receiver. The information is processed using a
areas affected patient satisfaction [25]. An microcontroller ATMega8 that produces characters
comprehensive framework for managing queues on the LCD, turns on the LED, and activates the
dynamically from both the supply and demand buzzer to call the doctor or nurse [29].
perspectives is provided by this work. To be more
precise, we present dynamic resource adjustment III. THE VARIOUS TYPES OF QUEUES
policies and intelligent dynamic patient prioritizing 1. Structured queues: People stand in a
algorithms to control supply and demand. Using our predictable stance, and they are organized. The most
paradigm, decision-makers can choose supply- and frequent locations for these lines to form are at
demand-side tactics to meet the demands of their grocery store checkouts and airport security.
ED. Through simulation, we can demonstrate that 2. Unstructured queues: People stand in
such a framework reduces patients' length of stay in various angles and positions, and they are typically
the ED without limiting demand [26]. A centralized unpredictable.
queue control system that can be applied to many 3. Mobile queue: People use their mobile
hospital departments was developed in this study. devices to queue up for services by making
The system makes use of Little's Law, the Haversine appointments online and arriving at the service
Model, the Poisson Distribution, and the Kendall facility just when they are scheduled to be served.
Notation. It is a web-based system that was created 4. Kiosk-based queues: Customers fill out their
to function on the Internet since it concentrates on contact information and the reason for their visit at
outpatients and takes into account the fact that this self-service kiosk. In banking and medical
different departments in the majority of non-tertiary facilities, these lines are typical.
hospitals may be located in various structures or
IV. THE VARIOUS FORMS OF LINE
locations. The system was developed using
DISCIPLINE
Microsoft SQL and ASP.NET. Data gathered from
non-tertiary hospitals in Benue State, Nigeria, was 1. Priority selection — Customers are served
used to evaluate it. As a result, there were fewer here based on how quickly they require your
patients in the hospital at any given moment, and services. For instance, in a hospital setting, the care
there was some difference between some patients' of patients who have suffered serious injuries is
actual arrival times and their estimated arrival times. given first.
The technique avoids crowds, improves hospital 2. Service in random order (SIRO) — This
organization, and saves time for the patients. At the order of service involves a random selection of
same time, there is also a major reduction in the customers.
burden on the hospital infrastructure. Both patients 3. Last in, first-out (LIFO) — The last-arrived
and medical staff benefit from enhanced service consumers at your establishment receive service
delivery and a safer atmosphere [27]. The purpose first.
of this study is to create a queue assessment model 4. First in, first-out (FIFO) — First-come, first-
to assess the flow of walk-in outpatients in a busy served policy is followed when serving customers.
public hospital in a developing economy in the V. THE IMPACT OF HOSPITAL QUEUE
absence of appointment systems and to build a MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
dynamic framework devoted to the practical
application of the proposed model for continuous The reality is that managing long, never-ending
monitoring of the queue system [28]. The nurse lines may be stressful, and this is especially true
caller device is used as a special communication when several services are available. Queue
device between the patients and the doctor or nurse management is useful in this situation. Virtual lines
within the hospital area as a means of speeding the can be used in medical facilities to:
doctor or nurse's time response in providing 1. Easily guide clients through the touchpoints.
immediate care to the patients. The use of the Without physically standing in line for each of these
wireless-based nurse caller device makes services, a consumer can go quickly through the
communication easier and neater between the two
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arrival process to registration, admitting, imaging, Medicine Research and Practice, vol. 6, no. 5, pp. 204–
bloodwork, etc. 207, 2016.
[8] C. C. Batbagon, O. B. Jayme Jr, and J. P. Pradilla, “I-
2. Access patient information including their queue: A centralized queue management system,” 1
basic details, medical history, blood pressure, Semester of 2018, p. 24, 2018.
gender, age, and the doctor they like to be treated [9] R. Arun and P. Priyesh, “Smart queue management
should be made available to doctors, nurses, and system using GSM technology,” Advanced in Electronic
staff. This improves operational efficiency by and Electric Engineering, vol. 3, no. 8, pp. 941–950,
2013.
automating some of the labour-intensive operations. [10] M. Ngorsed and P. Suesaowaluk, “Hospital service
3. Customers should be able to check their queue management system with wireless approach,” in
queue number and wait in line from anywhere. This Frontier Computing. Springer, 2016, pp. 627–637.
might be done in the waiting room, the café, or even [11] M. Ghazal, R. Hamouda, and S. Ali, “An IoT smart
the comfort of their car, which would ultimately queue management system with real-time queue
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[13] K. E. Arnesen, J. Erikssen, and K. Stavem, “Gender and
Both the hospital management information socioeconomic status as determinants of waiting time for
system and the queue management system have inpatient surgery in a system with implicit queue
been extensively studied in this research. They have management,” Health policy, vol. 62, no. 3, pp. 329–341,
made contributions to hospitals as well as to 2002.
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