Case Study: Capacity Management in the General Hospital of ZGT, Almelo (NL)

Abstract

This chapter discusses the implementation of capacity management at ZGT, one of the largest hospitals in the east of the Netherlands. Key elements in the capacity management program at ZGT, which already runs for more than 10 years, are centralized versus decentralized planning, management of variability, capacity allocation for urgent surgeries, insight in the relationship between the outpatient clinic and the operating theatre and the wards, implementing a master surgical schedule for the operating theatre, waiting list management, and improving ward utilization. The program resulted in a cost reduction of 9 million Euros between 2008 and 2010 (on a turnover of 330 million Euros annually) and a structural margin improvement of 5 million Euros per year. At the same time, the number of patients treated per year increased with 3–5%, while significant improvements in utilization of resources, patient access times, and turnover were made.