DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF OUTPATIENT QUEUE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Overcrowding in hospitals has become a significant challenge in the Nigerian healthcare system, affecting patients' clinical outcomes, satisfaction, and overall experience, while also reducing physician effectiveness and creating frustration among medical staff. The root cause of this issue often lies in ineffective queue management systems, which fail to streamline the process of patient allocation and scheduling. Patients frequently endure long waits without certainty of when they will receive attention, leading to inefficient operations and dissatisfaction. The variability in service times, influenced by factors such as testing, scanning, and pharmacy visits, further complicates the problem. In computer science, a queue is a structured sequence that enables the systematic addition and removal of entities, often modeled to address such operational challenges. Applying queue management systems in healthcare settings can significantly reduce patient waiting times and improve the overall flow of operations in hospitals. Queuing systems involve managing the arrival of patients, allocating service mechanisms, and maintaining queue discipline, often leveraging mathematical tools and stochastic processes for optimization. This systematic approach allows hospitals to predict and manage waiting times more effectively, providing a structured methodology for addressing overcrowding. An effective queue management system is crucial for addressing the persistent issue of hospital overcrowding. By leveraging queuing theory and stochastic modeling, healthcare facilities can optimize resource utilization, reduce waiting times, and enhance patient satisfaction. These systems offer a sustainable solution for improving healthcare delivery and are increasingly recognized as essential tools for decision-making in both developed and developing healthcare systems.