Rule-based patient transition in an integrated healthcare system

• Main Author: Ng, Yan Leng.
• Other Authors: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Industrial engineering::Operations research
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/45706
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Being an affluent nation, Singapore faces a rapidly aging population. This leads to an increased burden on the different levels of care settings thus the challenge having to deal with the diverse needs of different patients. As costs are on the rise and quality continues to be a concern, it is then discussed how best we can deliver care in a way that is cost effective with quality care. Hence, the goal towards the implementation of an integrated healthcare system to assist patient transition is discussed. The patient is a sophisticated human being who has complex different needs, thus the system designed has to provide coordination and flexibility to suit the changing conditions faced by the patient. This calls for the need to re-think and re-plan the current policies that are in place for the integration to take place. Furthermore, ensuring patients move seamlessly from one care setting to another is a key criterion in an integrated healthcare system. Some of the obstacles towards the implementation of an integrated healthcare system are the rising expectations from patient and the need for advancements in improving healthcare management. This project uses Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) as the case study to illustrate one particular aspect of patient transition in an integrated healthcare system. With increasing load at the outpatients’ clinics, TTSH decided to shift some load to the polyclinics. The main aim for the construction of the model is to assist healthcare professionals and healthcare providers in the decision making process to determine which is the nearest and qualified polyclinic the patient should continue receiving healthcare services from. A model based on artificial intelligence using C# programming was constructed based on the problem context faced by the organization. The decision making process is made simpler and easier where the user of the system is only required to input the identification number of the patient and the speciality required by the patient. The program designed has the ability to check the capabilities of the polyclinics that matches to the needs of the patients. It will then calculate the distance between the residential location of the patient and the various polyclinics that match the needs of the patients. The added advantage of the program is that it is able to link and combine with map functions to view the full route of travel. A major goal of Singapore’s healthcare system is to provide effective and efficient care through the different healthcare institutions. This aim cannot be achieved without the implementation of an integrated system for all. Hence, the need to cluster together to enable “seamless care” is provided for the patient. This rule-based model developed in this project partially automates the process, thus greatly reduces the amount of time and cost involved in patient transition between different healthcare facilities. The result of the project has been presented to TTSH, who intended to implement the system in their daily operations. This project contributes to build an integrated healthcare system with technologies that incorporates artificial intelligence.