ASTERIKS--a management game for hospitals.

ASTERIKS is a PC-based management game dealing with scheduling and sequencing operations in hospital departments. The game uses a process-oriented approach for simulation. The purpose of the game is to support training of hospital staff in this field as a necessary prerequisite for economic efficiency and for patient and staff satisfaction. The players have to first define their goals. During the game the teams can lay down operational routines in their hospitals, change their appointment systems and make staff and investment decisions. ASTERIKS' interactive design allows for immediate feedback to the players once the planning and simulation phases have been finished. Results include patients and staff satisfaction, treatment quality, utilization of resources and the length of stay.