A Study of the Outpatient Pharmacy Queue at the U.S. Public Health Service Hospital, New Orleans, Louisiana
Abstract
This problem-solving thesis was accomplished to determine what steps the U.S. Public Health Service Hospital, New Orleans, Louisiana, should take to significantly shorten the length of the queue in the outpatient pharmacy. Current literature related to outpatient pharmacies and queueing theory was reviewed, interviews were conducted, and a systems analysis was performed. Data was accumulated and comparisons made on the frequency of outpatients, the frequency of prescriptions, the relative pharmacy staffing, and the queue lengths. Several areas requiring additional managerial effort were determined to reduce the queues, maximize the use of assigned pharmacists, improve the layout of the pharmacy, and establish a patient-oriented environment for the outpatients during their waiting period. Conclusions included: (1) selected shelving should be relocated, (2) the typist position should be filled with a typist rather than a pharmacist, (3) three pharmacists should be utilized in addition to the typist when the queue length exceeds 15 minutes, (4) four pharmacists should be utilized in addition to the typist when the queue length exceeds 20 minutes, (5) the intercom system should be operable to summon patients, (6) pictures, curtains, color schemes, and magazines should enhance the waiting room, and (7) the in-window and the out-window should be reversed to relocate the in-window queue. It was recommended that each step in the conclusion be approved and implemented in the priority listed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 31, 1971
- Accession Number
- AD1209138
Entities
People
- James A. Eberwine
Organizations
- United States Public Health Service