Management Science /Operational Research literature for the year 2009 - Essay Example

Usually, systems undergo regular assessment to ensure this. Because a lot of factors around the system changes (i.e., availability of specialists), the system also undergo changes either through changes within a step or removal/addition of step/s. To know which part/s of the system can be changed to achieve the most positive outcome (i.e., least amount of waiting time), many study approaches have now been developed to make it easier for analyzing systems. These research methods are meant to determine how a system reacts to what-if scenarios that may be too impractical to observe in the actual setting.

As such, computer simulation techniques are now a trend in this field. Aside from discrete-event simulation (DES), we also have System Dynamics, which specializes on systems that have feedback loops steps. Werker et al. used DES in the study of RT planning, aiming to assess the current system and to decrease the waiting time involved by looking at possible areas of improvement for every step involved in the system. Analyzing RT planning can prove to be a challenge because the steps become variable from time to time, with no definite factor inducing the change.

Discrete Events Simulation of Radiation Therapy Planning To perform DES, the flow of the system as it is presently used, including how each step arrives at its outcome dependent on the variables present or absent is modeled through computer programs. The system is then validated by inputting real data of independent variables through the model and the model’s ultimate outcome is then confirmed by checking if the outputs (in RT planning’s case, the waiting time) are similar to the actual system outputs.

A validated DES model is now used to perform various what-if scenarios and analyzing their outcomes. For the purposes of Werker’s et al. study, RT planning is defined as the steps from the point of tumor localization to the point in which the patient undergoes treatment. The steps identified are 1) radiation oncologist input process and verification, 2) a physics consult, 3) dose generation, 4) independent plan verification and approval, 5) independent treatment, 6) verification, and 7) printing.

Because most data regarding the steps are not necessarily empirical, Werker et al. conducted surveys among planners and therapists regarding a) the importance of each of these steps (Do you think this is included in RT planning?) and b) the amount of time needed. Indirectly, the availability of standard plans based on the type of cancer becomes a concern, because unavailability often leads to longer RT planning time for the patient. The data on the availability of standard plan, as well as the availability of appropriate resource personnel, are obtained.

The data on the availability of standard plan, as well as the availability of appropriate resource personnel, are obtained in the statistics. Based on statistics in Vancouver, Canada, the system takes 6 days to accomplish the task, with 10 plans finished every day. DES got a value of 9 plans finished every day, which is similar to the actual value. In conclusion, the writers of the journal identified the delays involved in the availability of radiation oncologist as the main source of delays in waiting time.

However, this cannot be helped