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System Dynamic Modelling of Patient Flow and Transferral Problem in a Mixed Public-Private Healthcare System: A Case Study of Hong Kong SAR

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Abstract

The current healthcare system in Hong Kong is experiencing pressure due to constrained resources, with dramatic increases in inpatient services queue lengths, dissatisfaction with the working environment, unacceptable workforce arrangements and high turnover rate of hospital staff. To maintain the robustness of the healthcare system and a sustainable inpatients flow, the Food and Health Bureau launched a public-private partnership programme to utilise the resources of the public and private hospitals. This research investigates the potential for extension of the programme and further enhancing the sustainability of the long-term inpatient services under a mixed public-private healthcare policy via system dynamic modelling. The findings show that an increase of human resources in public hospitals does not substantially improve inpatient flow rate performance. Further, the results from the system dynamic approach provide insights into the expansion of the service areas of the programme and suggest increasing the number of referrals to private hospitals.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their gratitude and appreciation to the anonymous reviewers and the editors for providing valuable comments for the continuing improvement of this article. The research was supported by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. The authors would like to thank the Hong Kong Hospital Authority and the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department for providing the relevant data in supporting the research. Our gratitude is also extended to the Research Committee and the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University for supporting this project (G-UA7X).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong SAR, China

    C.K.M. Lee & W.C. Tai

  2. School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore

    Kam K.H. Ng

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  1. C.K.M. Lee
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  2. W.C. Tai
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Correspondence to Kam K.H. Ng.

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C.K.M. LEE is currently an associate professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong. She obtained her PhD and B. Eng. degree from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. She was awarded Silver Award of 47th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva, Bronze Award of 16th China National Invention Exhibition Award in 2006 and Outstanding Professional Service and Innovation Award, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2006. Dr. Lee has authored or co-authored more than 100 journal papers including IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics, International Journal of Production Economics, and Decision Support System. Her current research areas include logistics information management, Industry 4.0, Internet of things and data mining techniques.

W.C. TAI. is currently a project associate in Departmentof Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China. She received the B.Sc. Degree and M.Sc. in the same institute. Her research interests include system modelling, human centred design, data-driven engineering design and open innovation. Industry 4.0, Internet of things and data mining techniques.

Kam K.H. NG is currently a research fellow in School of Mechanical andAerospace Engineering,Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He received the B.Sc. Degree and Ph.D. Degree in Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China. His research interests are transportation engineering, intelligent transportation system, operations research, robust optimisation, optimisation methods and artificial intelligence.

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Lee, C., Tai, W. & Ng, K.K. System Dynamic Modelling of Patient Flow and Transferral Problem in a Mixed Public-Private Healthcare System: A Case Study of Hong Kong SAR. J. Syst. Sci. Syst. Eng. 29, 590–608 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11518-019-5454-4

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