On the design, implementation, and feasibility of hospital admission services: The admission lounge case

An admission lounge is an emerging type of hospital facility that potentially improves the efficiency and efficacy of the perioperative process. We propose a five-step approach for the design, suitability assessment, and optimisation of an admission lounge. The approach uses a case mix optimisation method to select patients for the admission lounge, clinical ward, or for both. Also, it determines the required admission lounge and clinical ward capacities using an Erlang loss model combined with a novel analytical model. The approach is integrated into a decision support system, which helps hospitals to identify the suitability of the admission lounge concept, optimise its configuration, and identify the potential bed reduction in the clinical ward. The decision support system is validated and tested in a case study of a Dutch hospital using their historical data.