OBJECTIVES: To explore process improvement potentials and assess their operational and economic impact on hospital workflows, both process analysis and simulation modeling was applied to patient pathways undergoing a computed tomography (CT) of the brain without contrast enhancement.

METHODS: A discrete event simulation (DES) was developed to analyze the process of a non-contrast enhanced brain CT including patients’ pathways using Bizagi BPMN Modeler RESULTS: In the baseline model total process time accounts for 71.4 minutes including waiting times [min: 31.1 minutes, max: 272.8 minutes]. While administrative activities add up to 12.5% of total time, the average reporting time is 19.7 minutes (27.6%) including approval and finalization. The remaining share of 59.9% accounted for exam conduct including preparation and after-care. Corresponding staff process costs amount for 39.76 Euro. Main improvement potentials were identified in the fields of patient order-entry, consent, exam, reporting and discharge. Using DES, the highest saving potential was identified in patient order-entry, leading up to 26.5% less staff process cost per patient in an optimal case.

CONCLUSIONS: Following this approach, specific measures within workflows as well as corresponding effects on departmental dynamics can be prototyped and vetted in a digital environment prior to actual implementation. This enables decision makers to make well-informed decisions and, thus, to optimally allocate their efforts and resources when driving change and transformation.