Dynamic Model of Intensive Care Unit Workflow based on Generalized Net

Abstract

Every intensive care unit (ICU) admits critically ill patients with disturbed vitally important functions. Time is a critical factor with such patients and the optimum behaviour of the medical team is decisive. They require optimised distribution of the staff and material resources, hence an adequate model of the structure and activities in an ICU is needed. Such a model was built using generalized nets (GNs). The workflow presented as a GNs-model is based on principles and prerequisites typical of ICU. Structure of the information included in the model: the updated information on the state of the ICU (occupancy rate of the hospital beds, the state of the patients, the available physicians and nurses, and their distribution for the concrete patients, available material facilities) is supported by specialised databases. There also exists a database of protocols with prescriptions for diagnostic and therapeutic conduct. The goal attained with GNs is: solution for the admission and servicing of patients at the ICU in a dynamically changing situation at any moment of the night and day. The dynamic workflow model in ICU in the form of a GNs is an adequate approach for optimum distribution of the resources and optimum conduct in the care for patients with severe disorders of the vital functions.

Keywords

• Intensive care unit
• Generalized nets
• Dynamic model