Film traffic queueing model for the DUMC radiology department

Using the Performance Analysis Workstation (PAW), a UNIX based modeling and performance analysis tool, the use of film in the Duke University Medical Center (DUMC) Radiology Department has been simulated. The Radiology Department Traffic Model for DUMC simulates the flow of film through the department, and then incorporates the effect of introducing a PACS-type system into present operations. Each Radiology Section is considered separately for queueing of two types of film: old film (from previous exams) and new film (from the present exam). The amount of film in each queue at any time is controlled by controlling hours of operation, service times, delay, and arrival rates. The model also takes into account the use of film in each major radiology area. This gives some idea of the load on a display device in that area as well as the amount of storage needed to adequately handle its daily load if local storage at the display device is desired. © SPIE.

Duke Scholars

Author Carl Eric Ravin Radiology, Cardiothoracic Imaging