Managing the patient portfolio using mathematical programming: decision support guidelines using a real-world use case at a university hospital

  • Many hospitals in Germany are facing escalating economic pressures. After several years of stagnation, the number of inpatient hospital treatments dropped by in 2020 compared to the previous year. This negative tendency can also be seen in operating theaters (OTs). Strategic management of the case mix in hospital OTs now necessitates a solid data foundation. The case mix and the case mix index have become central economic indicators in contemporary hospital operations. In this work, we develop a mathematical model for case mix optimization at Augsburg University Hospital in Germany, which is based on an extensive data analysis with descriptive methods. The optimization model is subject to rigorous testing and evaluation through an extensive series of scenario analyses. The primary objective is to calculate a revenue-maximizing patient mix while respecting the available scarce personnel resources in the OT and intensive care unit. This research marks a pioneering effort inMany hospitals in Germany are facing escalating economic pressures. After several years of stagnation, the number of inpatient hospital treatments dropped by in 2020 compared to the previous year. This negative tendency can also be seen in operating theaters (OTs). Strategic management of the case mix in hospital OTs now necessitates a solid data foundation. The case mix and the case mix index have become central economic indicators in contemporary hospital operations. In this work, we develop a mathematical model for case mix optimization at Augsburg University Hospital in Germany, which is based on an extensive data analysis with descriptive methods. The optimization model is subject to rigorous testing and evaluation through an extensive series of scenario analyses. The primary objective is to calculate a revenue-maximizing patient mix while respecting the available scarce personnel resources in the OT and intensive care unit. This research marks a pioneering effort in delineating the practical integration of case mix planning into a hospital’s routine operations using mathematical optimization. The analyses reveal a strong correlation between an upsurge in revenue and an increased number of cases. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that strategic planning of the patient mix has the potential to enhance revenue with existing resources. Even though the optimal patient mix may not be directly implementable in practice, the findings yield valuable insights for managerial decision-making. A critical examination of these results also fosters a nuanced discourse on the utilization of optimization models as decision support tools within hospital management.show moreshow less

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Metadaten
Author:Milena GriegerORCiDGND, Steffen HeiderORCiDGND, Sebastian McRae, Thomas Koperna, Jens O. BrunnerORCiDGND
URN:urn:nbn:de:bvb:384-opus4-1159008
Frontdoor URLhttps://opus.bibliothek.uni-augsburg.de/opus4/115900
ISSN:0044-2372OPAC
ISSN:1861-8928OPAC
Parent Title (English):Journal of Business Economics
Publisher:Springer
Place of publication:Berlin
Type:Article
Language:English
Year of first Publication:2024
Publishing Institution:Universität Augsburg
Release Date:2024/10/17
Volume:94
Issue:9
First Page:1245
Last Page:1260
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11573-024-01201-y
Institutes:Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät
Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Betriebswirtschaftslehre
Medizinische Fakultät
Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Betriebswirtschaftslehre / Lehrstuhl für Health Care Operations / Health Information Management
Medizinische Fakultät / Universitätsklinikum
Dewey Decimal Classification:3 Sozialwissenschaften / 33 Wirtschaft / 330 Wirtschaft
Licence (German):CC-BY 4.0: Creative Commons: Namensnennung (mit Print on Demand)