Joining the Queue: Demand and Decision-making

Abstract

This chapter first discusses queuing theory, briefly reviewing some of the features of queues and of rational behaviour of people with respect to queues. Many features of queuing apply and many aspects of queuing theory are relevant to our understanding of waiting for treatment in the health service. Rational behaviour among health service waiters and rational management of health service waiting can only be achieved with relevant knowledge. Since queues arise from need, perceived need or demand for a service, it is necessary to consider these. To this end, this chapter examines the morbidity of potential patients, the amount, nature and degree of illness or disability in those who seek medical attention and considers various measures of health status. Next the benefits of medical intervention are reviewed, including the ways that the benefit may be assessed. Finally, there is a brief discussion of the economic balance, in which the pressures of pools of morbidity of potential patients with different ailments are balanced by the provision of services to meet and treat.