A Method of Analysing Hospital Surgical Waiting Lists

Abstract

This paper discusses the meaning which can be derived from the careful analysis of surgical waiting lists.During the development of a minicomputer-based hospital administration system at Southend Hospital, such an analysis has become a routine part of the administrative procedures applied within the hospital. In the event of a more widespread use of computer systems it is argued that the type of analysis proposed could have a wide application since it can cut across environmental and other boundaries which generally prevent a comparison of different situations. This in turn could lead to a more uniform application of resource allocation policies on a regional and national scale.