Centralization of Intensive Care Units: Process Reengineering in a Hospital

Centralization of intensive care units (ICUs) is a concept that has been around for several decades and the OECD countries have led the way in adopting this in their operations. Singapore Hospital was built in 1981, before the concept of centralization of ICUs took off. The hospital's ICUs were never centralized and were spread out across eight different blocks with the specialization they were associated with. Coupled with the acquisitions of the new concept of centralization and its benefits, the hospital recognizes the importance of having a centralized ICU to better handle major disasters. Using simulation models, this paper attempts to study the feasibility of centralization of ICUs in Singapore Hospital, subject to space constraints. The results will prove helpful to those who consider reengineering the intensive care process in hospitals.