Question 1

Operations research is defined as "understanding the behavioral aspects of subjective decision making".

Accepted Answer

The discipline of applying advanced analytical methods to help make better decisions.

Question 2

One of the key areas where operations research methods can contribute to improving healthcare is in the modeling of patient volumes and flow through organizations and health systems.

Accepted Answer

Operations research methods can optimize resource allocation, scheduling, and patient flow, improving efficiency and effectiveness in healthcare systems.

Question 3

A bottleneck occurs when capacity exceeds demand and resources wait for work.

Accepted Answer

A bottleneck can occur at any point where capacity is insufficient to meet demand due to physical or logical constraints. A bottleneck can also be a person, a role, or any other barrier or obstacle to cooperation and work performance among departments

Question 4

Successful de-bottlenecking includes determination if the bottleneck is the result of an inability to handle demand at all times, or just at a specific point in time, as well as to discover if other barriers to throughput exist.

Accepted Answer

Successful de-bottlenecking involves identifying whether the bottleneck is a constant issue or occurs only at specific times, and also checking for other factors that may be limiting throughput.

Question 5

Capacity refers to the amount of resources or assets that exist to serve the demand.

Accepted Answer

Capacity refers to the maximum level of output or the amount of resources available to meet demand in a system or organization.

Question 6

There is no such thing as an optimal solution to eliminate wait times.

Accepted Answer

Wait times are inherent in any system where demand exceeds capacity. While it is possible to reduce wait times, it is not possible to eliminate them entirely.

Question 7

Wait times generally do not influence bottlenecks in a healthcare process.

Accepted Answer

Typically one of the biggest bottlenecks in health care involves the issue of wait times.

Question 8

Wait times in health care result in:

Accepted Answer

Decreased patient satisfaction is a common result of wait times in health care.

Question 9

Key components of wait line simulations include all of the following except:

Accepted Answer

Scheduling blocks are not typically considered a key component of wait line simulations, which focus on arrival rate, service rate, and queue structure.

Question 10

When wait times for patient registration exceed management expectations, which of the following can be used to improve performance?

Accepted Answer

Reducing the number of steps in the registration process can streamline operations and decrease wait times, while the other options do not directly address the efficiency of the registration process.

Question 11

Common problems with time and motion studies include:

Accepted Answer

The Hawthorne effect is a common problem in time and motion studies, where individuals modify their behavior in response to their awareness of being observed.

Question 12

Typical tracking mechanisms include which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Typical tracking mechanisms include which of the...

Question 13

Which of the following are considered a benefit of RFID tracking?

Accepted Answer

RFID tracking is primarily used for monitoring inventories, allowing for efficient tracking and management of stock levels.

Question 14

Which of the following is a basic consideration of forecasting?

Accepted Answer

Downstream transactional data, such as customer requisitions, provide real-time insights into demand patterns, making them a reliable source for forecasting.

Question 15

Differentiate between the two major types of forecasts.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Differentiate between the two major types of...

Question 16

Describe a moving average forecast.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe a moving average forecast....

Question 17

Describe trend forecasting.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe trend forecasting....

Quiz 8: Forecasting and Decision Tools