Queueing analysis: a useful planning and management technique for radiology.

Queueing analysis is a mathematical technique which is used for studying characteristics of queueing (waiting) for service. Recent development of improved software systems has made the technique easily available and versatile using a microcomputer. In this study the characteristics of examination time and interarrival time were determined for an emergency room radiology service, and two examples were analyzed that demonstrate the usefulness of queueing analysis in radiology. In the first example the effects of a 5% annual increase in patients on waiting time are shown, while the second example shows the use of the technique for cost analysis. Radiologists and medical administrators should be aware of the availability and value of queueing analysis for department planning and management.