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Collection and Preparation of Sensor Network Data to Support Modeling and Analysis of Outpatient Clinics

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Abstract

Simulation studies of outpatient clinics often involve significant data collection challenges. We describe an approach for data collection using sensor networks which facilitates the collection of a large volume of very detailed patient flow data through healthcare clinics. Such data requires extensive preprocessing before it is ready for analysis. We present a general data preparation framework for sensor network generated data with particular emphasis on the creation and analysis of patient path strings. Several examples of the analysis of sensor network data are also presented. Our approach has been used in two large outpatient clinics in the United States.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Decision and Information Sciences, Oakland University, Oakland

    Mark W. Isken & Vijayan Sugumaran

  2. Health Services Engineering, Inc., Oakland

    Timothy J. Ward, Daniel Minds & William Ferris

  3. School of Business Administration, Oakland University, 317 Elliott Hall, Rochester, MI, 48309

    Mark W. Isken

Authors
  1. Mark W. Isken
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  2. Vijayan Sugumaran
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  3. Timothy J. Ward
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  4. Daniel Minds
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  5. William Ferris
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Correspondence to Mark W. Isken.

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Isken, M.W., Sugumaran, V., Ward, T.J. et al. Collection and Preparation of Sensor Network Data to Support Modeling and Analysis of Outpatient Clinics. Health Care Manage Sci 8, 87–99 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10729-005-0392-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10729-005-0392-8

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