How to make the patients in waiting room have a chance to go to the bathroom

[AFRANCO1]

[ FlexSim 22.2.1 ]

Hello, I apologize in advance for my English, it is not my native language. I need help to make my model more realistic. How can I make it so that patients or doctors have the need to use the bathroom at some point? Thanks a lot

[Jeanette_Fullmer]

Hello @AFRANCO,

Depending on whether it is scheduled or a distribution, you can create either a time table or MTBF/MTTR

[AFRANCO1]

Hi @Jeanette F. Sorry, I'm using Flexsim HC and I can't find the option for MTBF/MTTR

[jason_lightfootVL7B4]

You can use an interarrival source activity in a process flow to generate the requirement randomly. Normally (in non-healthcare/people models) you would issue a pre-empting, higher priority task sequence to a task executer - you could try this approach and see if it works or what problems arise depending on state of the patient/doctor process invocation.

[Jeanette_Fullmer]

Hello @AFRANCO ,

I created two examples.

The first uses an interarrival source activity like @Jason Lightfoot mentioned as an option.

Restroom Break.fsm

The second uses the MTTR/MTBF option.

Restroom Break_2.fsm

[AFRANCO1]

Thank you very much for your answer

[AFRANCO1]

Excellent thank you very much. I take this opportunity to ask two questions:

1. Is it possible to do this with patients?

2. In the second option, I can't find the MTBF MTTR option in the toolbox. Where can I find that option?

[Jeanette_Fullmer]

Hello @AFRANCO,

Yes, this is possible with patients but not with the MTBF/MTTR.

You will need to exit the HC environment and add it to the toolbox and then enter the HC environment again.

[kavika_faleumu · Accepted solution]

Hey @AFRANCO , here's a solution you could try. HC_Bathroom_Breaks.fsm

I start by setting up a simple Patient Flow where patients will try to check into the front desk. If it's occupied, they will sit down at the waiting area. If they wait for an extended period of time, then they'll be prompted to use the restroom.

I do this by adding a "Max Wait Timer" to my "Acquire Desk" activity (originally called "Acquire Location"). This will tell the token that if it has been waiting there for X amount of time, it will "fail" and move onto a different location (i.e., the restroom activity blocks).

Here's what it looks like running:

[Jeanette_Fullmer]

Hi @AFRANCO, was one of Kavika F's or Jeanette F's answers helpful? If so, please click the "Accept" button at the bottom of the one that best answers your question. Or if you still have questions, add a comment and we'll continue the conversation.

If we haven't heard back from you within 3 business days we'll auto-accept an answer, but you can always unaccept and comment back to reopen your question.