The Relationship Between Resource and Utilization Factors in an Outpatient Care System

Abstract

Data are collected and analyzed on the frequency and duration of tasks performed in a Prenatal Clinic. A model is developed which describes in mathematical and statistical terms the operation of the Prenatal Clinic under various allocations of physicians, assistants and examination rooms and for various patient loads. The results of the study provide insight into the sensitivity of clinic performance to changes in resource allocation and provide a proposed method for making resource allocation decisions.