Indore (Madhya Pradesh): To enhance outpatient care delivery, a joint study by Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore, XIM University and IIM Calcutta has introduced a novel model that aims to balance efficiency and fairness in healthcare. The research, spearheaded by Prof Rohit Kapoor of IIM Indore, provides actionable insights for hospitals to improve service delivery while ensuring equitable patient treatment.
“Outpatient care, a significant revenue driver for hospitals and a crucial component of timely healthcare access, often grapples with challenges such as patient dissatisfaction and operational inefficiencies. The proposed model addresses these issues using a multi-objective framework that weighs two key factors: the cost of care delivery and patient discontent,” Kapoor said.
The study was conducted through field visits to three multi-specialty hospitals in central India, selected for their long-standing reputation among consumers, socio-economic diversity in patient demographics and accreditation by National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Service Providers (NABH).
Parameters used to frame this model incorporated both patients’ and servers’ perspectives. From the patients’ viewpoint, important factors to consider were the waiting time experienced by the patient and the fairness of the service provided. From the servers’ point of view, important factors to consider were doctor overtime, doctor idle time and the number of patients who were denied care.
Interviews were conducted with the patients to evaluate the quality of service, including waiting times, appointment process, cost of service and clinical outcomes. The basis for selecting the slot interval, the proportion of capacity for random walk-ins and the grace period for the decision-makers were factored in. Finally, the study emphasized the balance between achieving the best results and the solution’s efficiency in terms of computational effort and time.
Practical applications
The study’s findings offer a blueprint for hospital administrators to make data-driven decisions. For example, administrators can determine ideal appointment times, allocate resources for walk-in patients and develop policies to address patient tardiness. The model’s simulation-based optimisation approach has implications beyond hospitals extending to healthcare camp organisers and primary health clinics. By addressing both patient and server’s concerns, the model ensures a patient-centric approach while maintaining operational and economic viability.
Transforming post-pandemic healthcare
In a post-pandemic world, the healthcare ecosystem may benefit from exploring this model. It highlights the potential to improve care delivery through a blend of fairness, efficiency and computational optimisation paving the way for a more resilient and patient-centric healthcare system.
Key features of the model include
Optimized scheduling for outpatient appointments.
Allocation of capacity for unscheduled walk-in patients.
Implementing grace periods for late patients to balance operational efficiency with patient satisfaction.
Policies for handling consistently late patients, such as first-come-first-served treatment for extreme delays.
Benefits for stakeholders
Patients: Reduced waiting times and improved fairness in service delivery.
Doctors: Balanced workloads, minimizing idle and overtime periods.
Hospitals: Improved competitiveness through higher service quality and efficiency.
Healthcare Administrators: Strategic guidance on resource allocation and policy development.
