How improving access times had unforeseen consequences: a case study in a Dutch hospital.
Oskar RoemelingKees AhausFolkert van ZantenMartin LandPatrick WennekesPublished in: BMJ open (2019)
Adding capacity resources to reduce access times might appear an obvious and effective solution. However, the outcomes were less straightforward than expected, and even led to new artificial variability. The study reveals a phenomenon that is specific to service environments, and especially healthcare, and has detrimental consequences for access times.