Network analysis of patient flow in two UK acute care hospitals identifies key sub-networks for A&E performance

Daniel M Bean, Clive Stringer, Neeraj Beeknoo, James Teo and Richard J B Dobson

PLOS ONE, 2017, vol. 12, issue 10, 1-16

Abstract: The topology of the patient flow network in a hospital is complex, comprising hundreds of overlapping patient journeys, and is a determinant of operational efficiency. To understand the network architecture of patient flow, we performed a data-driven network analysis of patient flow through two acute hospital sites of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Administration databases were queried for all intra-hospital patient transfers in an 18-month period and modelled as a dynamic weighted directed graph. A ‘core’ subnetwork containing only 13–17% of all edges channelled 83–90% of the patient flow, while an ‘ephemeral’ network constituted the remainder. Unsupervised cluster analysis and differential network analysis identified sub-networks where traffic is most associated with A&E performance. Increased flow to clinical decision units was associated with the best A&E performance in both sites. The component analysis also detected a weekend effect on patient transfers which was not associated with performance. We have performed the first data-driven hypothesis-free analysis of patient flow which can enhance understanding of whole healthcare systems. Such analysis can drive transformation in healthcare as it has in industries such as manufacturing.

Date: 2017
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0185912

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185912

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