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1 – 10 of over 3000
Article
Publication date: 11 April 2023

Qing Ye and Hong Wu

Waiting time, as an important predictor of queue abandonment and patient satisfaction, is important for resource utilization and patient experience management. Medical…

Abstract

Purpose

Waiting time, as an important predictor of queue abandonment and patient satisfaction, is important for resource utilization and patient experience management. Medical institutions have given top priority to reforming the appointment system for many years; however, whether the increased information transparency brought about by the appointment scheduling mechanism could improve patient waiting time is not well understood. In this study, the authors examine the effects of information transparency in reducing patient waiting time from an uncertainty perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

Leveraging a quasi-natural experiment in a tertiary academic hospital, the authors analyze over one million observational patient visit records and design the propensity score matching plus the difference in difference (PSM-DID) model and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to address this issue.

Findings

The authors confirm that, on average, improved information transparency significantly reduces the waiting time for patients by approximately 6.43 min, a 4.90% reduction. The authors identify three types of uncertainties (resource, process and outcome uncertainty) in the patient visit process that affect patients' waiting time. Moreover, information transparency moderates the relationship between three sources of uncertainties and waiting time.

Originality/value

The authors’ work not only provides important theoretical explanations for the patient-level factors of in-clinic waiting time and the reasons for information technology (IT)-enabled appointment scheduling by time slot (ITASS) to shorten patient waiting time and improve patient experience but also provides potential solutions for further exploration of measures to reduce patient waiting time.

Details

Internet Research, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1066-2243

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 17 April 2023

Noah Olasehinde, Uche Abamba Osakede and Abdulfatai Adekunle Adedeji

This study investigates the effect of user fees on access and waiting time in Nigeria. For access, the effect of user fees on both preventive and curative care; and the effect of…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study investigates the effect of user fees on access and waiting time in Nigeria. For access, the effect of user fees on both preventive and curative care; and the effect of user fees on waiting time at public healthcare facilities were examined. User fees are vital for the fiscal sustainability of healthcare provision for most African economies. Its imposition could debar healthcare access by the poor while its removal can reduce quality of care and induce longer waiting time.

Design/methodology/approach

The wave 3 of the Nigerian General Household Survey (2015/16) data was used for users of public health facilities. Access to healthcare was modelled using utilization data in a logistic regression model while waiting time was through the Negative Binomial Regression Model (NBRM).

Findings

The analyses showed significant effects of user fees on access to both preventive and curative care and on time spent waiting to make use of healthcare services. Individuals were able to access healthcare services regardless of amounts paid. Also, there was a non-negative effect of user fee imposition on waiting time.

Practical implications

Nigeria should improve healthcare facilities to address the enormous demand for healthcare services when designing policy for health sector.

Originality/value

This paper shows that even with the imposition of user fees, healthcare facilities could still not cater for the rising healthcare needs of the populace but cautioned that its abolition may not be a preferred option.

Details

International Journal of Health Governance, vol. 28 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2059-4631

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 January 2024

Nasser Abdali, Saeideh Heidari, Mohammad Alipour-Vaezi, Fariborz Jolai and Amir Aghsami

Nowadays, in many organizations, products are not delivered instantly. So, the customers should wait to receive their needed products, which will form a queueing-inventory model…

Abstract

Purpose

Nowadays, in many organizations, products are not delivered instantly. So, the customers should wait to receive their needed products, which will form a queueing-inventory model. Waiting a long time in the queue to receive products may cause dissatisfaction and churn of loyal customers, which can be a significant loss for organizations. Although many studies have been done on queueing-inventory models, more practical models in this area are needed, such as considering customer prioritization. Moreover, in many models, minimizing the total cost for the organization has been overlooked.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper will compare several machine learning (ML) algorithms to prioritize customers. Moreover, benefiting from the best ML algorithm, customers will be categorized into different classes based on their value and importance. Finally, a mathematical model will be developed to determine the allocation policy of on-hand products to each group of customers through multi-channel service retailing to minimize the organization’s total costs and increase the loyal customers' satisfaction level.

Findings

To investigate the application of the proposed method, a real-life case study on vaccine distribution at Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran has been addressed to ensure model validation. The proposed model’s accuracy was assessed as excellent based on the results generated by the ML algorithms, problem modeling and case study.

Originality/value

Prioritizing customers based on their value with the help of ML algorithms and optimizing the waiting queues to reduce customers' waiting time based on a mathematical model could lead to an increase in satisfaction levels among loyal customers and prevent their churn. This study’s uniqueness lies in its focus on determining the policy in which customers receive products based on their value in the queue, which is a relatively rare topic of research in queueing management systems. Additionally, the results obtained from the study provide strong validation for the model’s functionality.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 14 December 2023

Huijuan Zhou, Rui Wang, Dongyang Weng, Ruoyu Wang and Yaoqin Qiao

The interruption event will seriously affect the normal operation of urban rail transit lines,causing a large number of passengers to be stranded in the station and even making…

Abstract

Purpose

The interruption event will seriously affect the normal operation of urban rail transit lines,causing a large number of passengers to be stranded in the station and even making the train stranded in the interval between stations. This study aims to reduce the impact of interrupt events and improve service levels.

Design/methodology/approach

To address this issue, this paper considers the constraints of train operation safety, capacity and dynamic passenger flow demand. It proposes a method for adjusting small loops during interruption events and constructs a train operation adjustment model with the objective of minimizing the total passenger waiting time. This model enables the rapid development of train operation plans in interruption scenarios, coordinating train scheduling and line resources to minimize passenger travel time and mitigate the impact of interruptions. Regarding the proposed train operation adjustment model, an improved genetic algorithm (GA) is designed to solve it.

Findings

The model and algorithm are applied to a case study of interruption events on Beijing Subway Line 5. The results indicate that after solving the constructed model, the train departure intervals can be maintained between 1.5 min and 3 min. This ensures both the safety of train operations on the line and a good match with passengers’ travel demands, effectively reducing the total passenger waiting time and improving the service level of the urban rail transit system during interruptions. Compared to the GA algorithm, the algorithm proposed in this paper demonstrates faster convergence speed and better computational results.

Originality/value

This study explicitly outlines the adjustment method of using short-turn operation during operational interruptions, with train departure times and station stop times as decision variables. It takes into full consideration safety constraints on train operations, train capacity constraints and dynamic passenger demand. It has constructed a train schedule optimization model with the goal of minimizing the total waiting time for all passengers in the system.

Book part
Publication date: 31 July 2023

Firouz Gaini

This chapter explores the multifaceted present-day social and cultural constructions of adolescence in a Nordic Atlantic society, the Faroe Islands. Based on young people’s…

Abstract

This chapter explores the multifaceted present-day social and cultural constructions of adolescence in a Nordic Atlantic society, the Faroe Islands. Based on young people’s perspectives and narratives, this chapter delves into the transition from youthhood to adulthood in the context of a small-scale, family-oriented society in shift. Drawing on sociological theoretical writing about “waiting” and “waithood” in relation to the (often temporally extended or delayed) transition from adolescence to full adulthood in a globalizing world, as well as social anthropological studies of future-making, my aim is to outline the new futural orientations of contemporary adolescence with focus on aspirations for work and family life. Young people, the chapter argues, are waiting and navigating in a society with multiple parallel temporalities: When to marry? When to get children? When to earn your own money and have your own home? These and many other questions define waithood in contemporary society, which is characterized by an increasingly precarious avenue toward promising futures resonating the socially accepted ways of performing adulthood. In the Faroe Islands, an island society with roughly 54,000 inhabitants, young people’s waiting is very often also a question of staying or leaving, that is, mobility and migration strategies. The waiting entails pace as a strategy for the future (Eisenstein, 2021). Adolescent islanders aim to “hit the right pace” in their future imaginaries. This chapter contributes to sociological discussions on the social construction of adolescence with focus on the meaning of time and temporalities. It relies on empirical material from extensive qualitative studies in the Faroe Islands.

Details

The Social Construction of Adolescence in Contemporaneity
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80117-449-7

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 April 2022

Sasadhar Bera, Pradeep Kumar and Subhajit Bhattacharya

The paper aims to investigate the cardiology department’s operational system for improving flexibility by minimizing the patient waiting time and simultaneously maximizing the…

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to investigate the cardiology department’s operational system for improving flexibility by minimizing the patient waiting time and simultaneously maximizing the utilization of service capacity in an uncertain environment. This article also proposes a policy framework that suggests a pool of additional resources and inter-firm collaboration can boost healthcare service delivery excellence.

Design/methodology/approach

A discrete event simulation (DES) approach is followed for modeling patient flow and determining the service capacity to respond to demand variability and uncertainty. The model's outputs are used to minimize patient waiting time, maximize the utilization of the resources and match the service capacity with the patient demand.

Findings

This research has tested two hypotheses and proved that an increase in waiting time decimates the throughput rate, and additional resources deployment in bottleneck activity positively impacts the throughput rate. The simulated scenarios prescribe an enhanced service capacity with quality care and further contribute to operational performance in reduced waiting time and cost. The results indicate that flexibility reduces the patient waiting time and maximizes the throughput rate.

Practical implications

The study guides the healthcare policymakers to develop flexible competence and facilitate service mechanisms that are adaptive and robust while operating under a volatile environment. The article contributes to the healthcare literature that conjoins flexibility through simulation and resource utilization.

Originality/value

This research is based on real-life primary data collected from healthcare providers. This study adds value to the healthcare systems to adopt strategic decisions to build flexibility through resource allocation, sharing and coordinated care.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 72 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 January 2024

Marco Fabio Benaglia, Mei-Hui Chen, Shih-Hao Lu, Kune-Muh Tsai and Shih-Han Hung

This research investigates how to optimize storage location assignment to decrease the order picking time and the waiting time of orders in the staging area of low-temperature…

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Abstract

Purpose

This research investigates how to optimize storage location assignment to decrease the order picking time and the waiting time of orders in the staging area of low-temperature logistics centers, with the goal of reducing food loss caused by temperature abuse.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors applied ABC clustering to the products in a simulated database of historical orders modeled after the actual order pattern of a large cold logistics company; then, the authors mined the association rules and calculated the sales volume correlation indices of the ordered products. Finally, the authors generated three different simulated order databases to compare order picking time and waiting time of orders in the staging area under eight different storage location assignment strategies.

Findings

All the eight proposed storage location assignment strategies significantly improve the order picking time (by up to 8%) and the waiting time of orders in the staging area (by up to 22%) compared with random placement.

Research limitations/implications

The results of this research are based on a case study and simulated data, which implies that, if the best performing strategies are applied to different environments, the extent of the improvements may vary. Additionally, the authors only considered specific settings in terms of order picker routing, zoning and batching: other settings may lead to different results.

Practical implications

A storage location assignment strategy that adopts dispersion and takes into consideration ABC clustering and shipping frequency provides the best performance in minimizing order picker's travel distance, order picking time, and waiting time of orders in the staging area. Other strategies may be a better fit if the company's objectives differ.

Originality/value

Previous research on optimal storage location assignment rarely considered item association rules based on sales volume correlation. This study combines such rules with several storage planning strategies, ABC clustering, and two warehouse layouts; then, it evaluates their performance compared to the random placement, to find which one minimizes the order picking time and the order waiting time in the staging area, with a 30-min time limit to preserve the integrity of the cold chain. Order picking under these conditions was rarely studied before, because they may be irrelevant when dealing with temperature-insensitive items but become critical in cold warehouses to prevent temperature abuse.

Details

The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-4093

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 14 March 2024

Zabih Ghelichi, Monica Gentili and Pitu Mirchandani

This paper aims to propose a simulation-based performance evaluation model for the drone-based delivery of aid items to disaster-affected areas. The objective of the model is to…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a simulation-based performance evaluation model for the drone-based delivery of aid items to disaster-affected areas. The objective of the model is to perform analytical studies, evaluate the performance of drone delivery systems for humanitarian logistics and can support the decision-making on the operational design of the system – on where to locate drone take-off points and on assignment and scheduling of delivery tasks to drones.

Design/methodology/approach

This simulation model captures the dynamics and variabilities of the drone-based delivery system, including demand rates, location of demand points, time-dependent parameters and possible failures of drones’ operations. An optimization model integrated with the simulation system can update the optimality of drones’ schedules and delivery assignments.

Findings

An extensive set of experiments was performed to evaluate alternative strategies to demonstrate the effectiveness for the proposed optimization/simulation system. In the first set of experiments, the authors use the simulation-based evaluation tool for a case study for Central Florida. The goal of this set of experiments is to show how the proposed system can be used for decision-making and decision-support. The second set of experiments presents a series of numerical studies for a set of randomly generated instances.

Originality/value

The goal is to develop a simulation system that can allow one to evaluate performance of drone-based delivery systems, accounting for the uncertainties through simulations of real-life drone delivery flights. The proposed simulation model captures the variations in different system parameters, including interval of updating the system after receiving new information, demand parameters: the demand rate and their spatial distribution (i.e. their locations), service time parameters: travel times, setup and loading times, payload drop-off times and repair times and drone energy level: battery’s energy is impacted and requires battery change/recharging while flying.

Details

Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-6747

Keywords

Open Access
Book part
Publication date: 16 August 2023

Angus Bancroft

In this chapter, the author examines the way in which the purchase and delivery infrastructure of darknet cryptomarkets shapes the experience of opiate drug use and dependence. It…

Abstract

In this chapter, the author examines the way in which the purchase and delivery infrastructure of darknet cryptomarkets shapes the experience of opiate drug use and dependence. It uses the concept of social time and posits that the illicit drug distribution system reshapes two temporal dimensions shaping the experience of drug users. There is the experience of time located in the pharmacology of the drug and in the body of the drug user, which evokes experiences of withdrawal and dependence. Then there is the socio-technical embedding of the delivery system and governance structures which support or impinge on the autonomy of the user. This ‘drug time’ is both a benefit and a cost of engaging in cryptomarket use. The market infrastructure can give users the opportunities to more carefully manage their drug time, while also creating new risks of non-delivery that can sharpen experiences of dope sickness. The author concludes that the growing professionalisation, digitisation, and commercialisation of the drug market increasingly embed drug time in material infrastructures mediated through technical systems.

Details

Digital Transformations of Illicit Drug Markets: Reconfiguration and Continuity
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80043-866-8

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 June 2023

Diana Salhab, Søren Munch Lindhard and Farook Hamzeh

Compressing the schedule by using overlapping activities is a commonly adopted approach for accelerating projects. However, this approach might channel a variety of risks into the…

Abstract

Purpose

Compressing the schedule by using overlapping activities is a commonly adopted approach for accelerating projects. However, this approach might channel a variety of risks into the construction processes. Risks imply waste; still, evaluating the effects of using overlapping activities on schedule quality has been a looming gap in construction research. Therefore, this paper aims to study the quality of overlapping in terms of emerging waste and to demarcate the boundaries of the overlapping envelope.

Design/methodology/approach

This study presents a method for assessing the consequences of implementing overlapping activities in a schedule on two types of waste namely waiting time and variation gap. A critical path method (CPM) network including eleven activities is modeled stochastically where the durations of individual activities are sampled as beta-distributions. Using program evaluation and review technique (PERT) assumptions to calculate the schedule dates, the network is simulated for various amounts of overlapping and the corresponding waste is quantified each time.

Findings

Results show that not only the returns on overlapping are diminishing after a certain overlap percentage, but also waste in the production system increases. Particularly, results reveal that compressing the schedule leads to a decrease in variation gaps, but at the same time, it leads to a larger increase in waiting times, which creates more waste.

Originality/value

The presented study shows through simulation how overlapping activities affects productivity by identifying wastes. It shows that despite the apparent gains, overlaps should be used with caution, and while considering the side-effects of increased waste which introduces a need for increased managerial awareness.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 3000