Process visibility analysis in ambulatory care: a simulation study with RFID data.

Healthcare is primarily delivered in the ambulatory care setting worldwide. The high variability in service delivery encountered in this environment negatively impacts process efficiency and patient satisfaction. In this study, we analyze care delivery process in ambulatory care using time and location stamped data collected via Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-enabled badges worn by patients, clinicians, and staff as they complete each clinic visit. With the objective of improving process visibility and minimizing patient waiting time, we examine this data to delineate the major components of waiting time and use simulation modeling to evaluate the impact of possible interventions. Results indicate that as a prevalent strategy, different appointment scheduling rules can only reduce patient waiting time in the waiting room. Surprisingly, waiting time in the exam room is unchanged, requiring new approaches to improve care coordination that address this delay. The results also highlight the value of RFID technology and the challenges in deploying them to improve service delivery.