DESIGN AND VALIDATION OF DECISION--SUPORT FOR THE CRITICAL CARE AREA

THIS PROJECT IS INVOLVED WITH THE DESIGN AND VALIDATION OF DECISION-SUPPORT SOFTWARE WHICH CAN BE USED FOR BOTH SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM RESOURCE ALLOCATION DECISIONS IN THE CRITICAL CARE AREA. THE DECISIONS WHICH CAN BE ADDRESSED BY THE SOFTWARE INCLUDE THE DETERMINATION OF BED REQUIREMENTS, STAFFING REQUIREMENTS, AND OPERATING ROOM SCHEDULING POLICIES. THE SOFTWARE ALLOWS A HOSPITAL TO "MODEL" ITSELF (WITHOUT PROGRAMMING CHANGES) BY SPECIFYING A SET OF "PARAMETERS" (E. G., NUMBER OF BEDS, ARRIVAL RATES, LENGTHS OF STAY) AS WELL AS A SET OF "POLICIES" (E. G., WHAT ACTIONS ARE TO BE TAKEN UNDER CONDITIONS OF INSUFFICIENT BEDS). A HOSPITAL CAN "RUN" THE MODEL FOR DIFFERENT VALUES FOR THE PARAMETERS & POLICIES UNTIL THE OPTIMAL VALUES FOR THAT HOSPITAL ARE DETERMINED. THIS PROJECT IS INVOLVED WITH THE DESIGN AND VALIDATION OF DECISION-SUPPORT SOFTWARE WHICH CAN BE USED FOR BOTH SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM RESOURCE ALLOCATION DECISIONS IN THE CRITICAL CARE AREA. THE DECISIONS WHICH CAN BE ADDRESSED BY THE SOFTWARE INCLUDE THE DETERMINATION OF BED REQUIREMENTS, STAFFING REQUIREMENTS, AND OPERATING ROOM SCHEDULING POLICIES. THE SOFTWARE ALLOWS A HOSPITAL TO "MODEL" ITSELF (WITHOUT PROGRAMMING CHANGES) BY SPECIFYING A SET OF "PARAMETERS" (E. G., NUMBER OF BEDS, ARRIVAL RATES, LENGTHS OF STAY) AS WELL AS A SET OF "POLICIES" (E. G., WHAT ACTIONS ARE TO BE TAKEN UNDER CONDITIONS OF INSUFFICIENT BEDS). A HOSPITAL CAN "RUN" THE MODEL FOR DIFFERENT VALUES FOR THE PARAMETERS & POLICIES UNTIL THE OPTIMAL VALUES FOR THAT HOSPITAL ARE DETERMINED.