IAES International Journal of Robotics and Automation (IJRA)

Vol. 14, No. 1, March 2025, pp. 121~128

ISSN: 2722-2586, DOI: 10.11591/ijra.v14i1.pp121-128  121

Analyzing the effectiveness of waiting times at the pharmacy of

the King Hamad University Hospital

Anwar Al-Mofleh, Mohamed Alseddiqi, Osama Najam, Budoor AlMannaei, Leena Albalooshi
Clinical Engineering Directorate, King Hamad University Hospital, Busaiteen, Kingdom of Bahrain

Article Info ABSTRACT

Article history: This study investigates the efficiency of waiting times at the pharmacy of
King Hamad University Hospital, with a primary focus on optimizing patient
Received Oct 10, 2024 experiences. Efficient pharmacy services are vital for ensuring the timely
Revised Oct 30, 2024 provision of medications to patients. Prolonged waiting times not only affect
Accepted Nov 19, 2024 patient satisfaction but may also have implications for overall healthcare
outcomes. To assess the effectiveness of waiting times, we conducted
comprehensive analysis, including data collection, surveys, and
Keywords: observations. Our findings reveal valuable insights into the current state of
pharmacy operations and the patient experience. We explore factors
Outpatient pharmacy contributing to waiting times, such as prescription processing, queue
Pharmacy efficiency management, and staff allocation. Through this analysis, we aim to provide
Quality assurance actionable recommendations to enhance pharmacy efficiency, reduce waiting
Queuing systems times, and improve patient satisfaction. Our study underscores the
Waiting time importance of optimizing pharmacy operations to ensure that patients
receive timely and high-quality healthcare services. By addressing these
issues, King Hamad University Hospital can not only enhance the overall
patient experience but also contribute to better healthcare outcomes and
increased operational efficiency. This research serves as a valuable resource
for healthcare administrators, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to
improve pharmacy services and patient satisfaction in hospital settings.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA license.

Corresponding Author:
Anwar Al-Mofleh
Clinical Engineering Directorate, King Hamad University Hospital
Building: 2435, Road 2835, Block 228 P.O. Box 24343
Busaiteen, Kingdom of Bahrain
Email: [email protected]

1. INTRODUCTION
The King Hamad University Hospital under study is located in Busaiteen, Kingdom of Bahrain. and
serves patients from all over Kingdom of Bahrain since it is one of the advanced centers in the Middle East.
The research focuses on outpatient department (OPD) Pharmacy, Inpatient Pharmacy, Oncology pharmacy
and Private Pharmacy, which aims to improve the quality of services provided to patients and enhance their
experience. The pharmacy serves all outpatient clinics and the average waiting time for the patients is
between 23.83 to 13.6 minutes. The size and layout of the pharmacy does not contribute to the number of
prescriptions being prepared and the number of patients. Our goal is to decrease the waiting time, decrease
the number of unclaimed prescriptions, and categorize the patients as following: long prescriptions patients,
short prescriptions patients, special needs and low immunity patients and refill patients. In short, the paper
aims to have more accuracy in prescriptions and communications between doctors and pharmacists, which
will improve efficiency. The following are the pharmacy's main issues: Without a doctor's prescription, the
medication might not be offered at the drugstore. No distinction between patient kinds is made; all patients

Journal homepage: http://ijra.iaescore.com

122  ISSN: 2722-2586

receive care from the same window. Various patient types require different amounts of the pharmacist's time.
Patients with unique needs and poor immunity, for instance, need additional time since the pharmacist must
properly explain the prescription. On the other hand, the patient service for refills needs to be quick and
independent. Finally, the pharmacy treats all outpatients from all clinics, resulting in lengthy patient waiting
times.

2. LITERATURE REVIEW
The literature reviews in this study aim to establish and examine the issues at hand. In 2018, a
collaborative research effort by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank identified
substandard health services as a significant barrier to improving health outcomes across nations, regardless of
their income levels. WHO has defined healthcare quality as the degree to which healthcare services enhance
desired health outcomes for individuals and patient populations, which necessitates safety, effectiveness,
timeliness, and efficiency in healthcare delivery [1].
The definition of healthcare quality provided by WHO also emphasizes the importance of
timeliness, which refers to reducing any unnecessary delays in both delivering and receiving healthcare, as
elaborated in the study. In an effort to create a comprehensive definition of quality that meets the
expectations of all health stakeholders [2]–[5]. Mosadeghrad [6] conducted a study that explored the
perspectives of clients, professionals, managers, policymakers, and payers on service quality [7], [8].
Identifying the various attributes of quality can enable all stakeholders to establish and maintain continuous
quality improvement programs [9], [10].
After conducting a thorough literature review, multiple definitions of healthcare quality were
discovered, each pertaining to the different stakeholders involved. The study indicates that most of these
definitions can be categorized into two groups. The first group refers to healthcare services that adhere to
predetermined specifications and standards. In this case, quality is defined as "conformance to specified
requirements or standards." The second group pertains to healthcare services that meet the expectations and
needs of the customers. In this context, quality is defined as "meeting or exceeding customers' expectations
and needs."
The first group of definitions primarily considers the perspective of the healthcare provider and
internal factors, such as accuracy, reliability, and efficacy, to define and enhance quality. On the other hand,
the second group focuses on the perspective of the customers and external factors, such as effectiveness,
empathy, safety, and affordability, which are all regarded as significant quality factors. The author of the
study employs pluralistic evaluation methods to incorporate the views of all stakeholders. The research
concludes that healthcare quality has distinct meanings for each stakeholder group. Therefore, to evaluate and
improve the quality of healthcare services to meet the needs and expectations of all stakeholders, managers,
practitioners, and policymakers should consider the quality dimensions of both groups.
Abdelhadi and Shakoor [11] conducted a study in Abha City, located in southwest Saudi Arabia, to
measure the service quality provided by public health hospitals, specifically in the inpatient and outpatient
pharmacies of a large public regional hospital. To evaluate and enhance service quality and reduce waiting
times in both pharmacies, the study implemented the Lean Manufacturing technique, which is also known as
Toyota's Production System (TPS). This management philosophy, developed by Toyota Motors Corporation
in Japan, emphasizes waste elimination, problem-solving, worker collaboration, and continuous process
improvement. The TPS approach is commonly used in various industries, including healthcare, to enhance
service quality and efficiency. The technique is based on principles that aim to identify non-value-added
steps or waste in the system, eliminate them, and meet customers' needs to achieve perfection. The TPS
methodology serves as an improvement tool that enhances the efficiency and quality of service by comparing
the efficiency between the two pharmacies [12]–[18].
The researchers collected data by observing the workflow in the two pharmacies for a week. In their
study, they utilized a metric tool in lean manufacturing called Takt time to measure the efficiency of both
pharmacies. The results indicated that the inpatient pharmacy was more efficient than the outpatient
pharmacy, as the time required to fill a prescription was close to the ideal situation. The study suggests that
the adoption of lean manufacturing principles could serve as an effective efficiency measure for healthcare
service quality by comparing the efficiency between two or more departments within the system. The paper's
findings are particularly useful for pharmacy managers in identifying the causes of efficiency variations
between departments and implementing corrective measures to address the problems [19], [20].
The literature reveals that various managerial tools and techniques have been used to improve
healthcare services and address related problems. For example, one study implemented Six Sigma processes
to reduce patients' waiting time in an outpatient pharmacy specialized in cancer treatment in Pakistan.
Another study undertook a patient flow project to improve efficiency in pharmacy queues and provided a

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IAES Int J Rob & Autom ISSN: 2722-2586  123

framework to evaluate pharmacy performance. In a primary healthcare clinic, patient waiting time and doctor
consultation time were studied, and strategies were formulated for improvement, such as increasing the
number of staff at the registration counter, implementing staggered appointment systems, and improving the
queuing system for walk-in patients [21]–[26].

3. METHODS
In this study, we will employ a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative data collection on
waiting times, prescription processing, and queue lengths with qualitative data from patient surveys, staff
interviews, and on-site observations to analyze and enhance the effectiveness of waiting times at the
pharmacy of King Hamad University Hospital, culminating in the development and implementation of
recommendations and an action plan to improve pharmacy efficiency while maintaining ethical standards as
shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Methodology for analyzing pharmacy waiting times

4. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Tables 1 to 4 provide data on the number of patients who received medication from the OPD
Pharmacy, Inpatient Pharmacy, Oncology pharmacy and Private Pharmacy from 2019 to 2022. These tables
can be used to see how the number of patients served by the pharmacy has changed over time, and to identify
any trends or patterns in the data, the number of patients served increases during certain months of the year,
or that the number of patients served has increased over the three-year period. This information can be useful

Analyzing the effectiveness of waiting times at the pharmacy of the King Hamad … (Anwar Al-Mofleh)
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for the hospital and pharmacy to understand the demand for their services, and to make decisions about
staffing, inventory, and other operational factors. Additionally, by tracking the number of patients served
overtime, the hospital and pharmacy can monitor their performance and assess the effectiveness of any
changes they have made to improve the efficiency of the pharmacy.

Table 1. Number of patients served OPD pharmacy Table 2. Number of patients served inpatient pharmacy
Months 2019 2020 2021 2022 Months 2019 2020 2021 2022
January 20,007 14,807 16,405 17,629 January 8,367 8,596 8,326 8,338
February 18,968 13,610 14,822 16,962 February 7,425 9,000 7,882 7,832
March 21,157 14,784 18,706 20,793 March 8,149 9,335 8,570 8,950
April 20,960 14,470 15,844 16,895 April 8,225 8,041 8,398 8,146
May 18,954 10,729 15,132 18,200 May 7,934 6,788 8,690 9,086
June 17,143 13,891 16,552 19,980 June 7,587 7,431 9,032 8,894
July 16,939 14,206 15,262 16,304 July 8,195 8,649 8,416 8,613
August 13,183 12,029 17,224 18,918 August 7,782 7,864 8,700 8,496
September 13,612 15,102 18,640 19,707 September 8,277 8,619 9,014 8,591
October 16,048 15,123 17,653 20,144 October 9,407 8,406 9,016 9,187
November 13,547 16,735 19,323 20,022 November 8,943 8,456 9,474 9,817
December 14,687 16,857 18,558 18,020 December 9,146 8,085 8,759 9,982
205,205 172,343 204,121 223,574 99,437 99,270 104,277 105,932

Table 3. Number of patients served oncology pharmacy Table 4. Number of patients served private pharmacy
Months 2019 2020 2021 2022 Months 2019 2020 2021 2022
January 394 816 2,112 2,843 January 336 314 810 1,616
February 372 919 2,202 3,047 February 296 288 691 1,548
March 443 992 2,624 3,693 March 332 267 1,025 1,977
April 490 1,011 2,381 3,492 April 326 205 752 1,286
May 486 830 2,346 3,648 May 253 140 766 1,589
June 460 1,216 2,468 3,907 June 219 201 1,134 1,812
July 632 1,213 2,366 3,449 July 291 240 1,017 1,352
August 547 1,115 2,532 3,765 August 194 129 1,140 1,534
September 549 1,748 2,886 3,561 September 245 8 1,280 1,615
October 685 1,697 2,709 4,087 October 350 504 1,234 1,930
November 628 1,893 2,965 4,562 November 216 825 1,734 2,000
December 854 1,878 2,864 4,951 December 219 831 1,585 1,660
6,540 15,328 30,455 45,005 3,277 3,952 13,168 19,919

Figure 2 illustrates the number of patients served at the outpatient department (OPD) pharmacy,
inpatient pharmacy, oncology pharmacy and private pharmacy from 2019 to 2022. over a specified period,
providing a visual representation of the pharmacy's workload and patient flow dynamics. These figures are
crucial for monitoring and managing pharmacy operations, as they help healthcare administrators and staff:
a. Workload assessment: By examining the trends in patient visits over time, healthcare providers can assess
the pharmacy's workload. Peaks in the graph may indicate high-demand periods, allowing the hospital to
allocate resources and staff efficiently to minimize waiting times during these periods.
b. Resource allocation: It aids in resource allocation decisions, such as staffing levels and inventory
management. When there is a significant increase in the number of patients served, the hospital can adjust
staffing schedules and medication supply to meet the increased demand effectively.
c. Performance evaluation: Over time, Figure 2 can be used to evaluate the pharmacy's performance in terms
of patient throughput. Improvements or declines in the number of patients served can indicate changes in
pharmacy efficiency and effectiveness.
d. Optimization: The data can be used to identify potential bottlenecks or inefficiencies in the pharmacy
workflow. If the number of patients served remains consistently high, it may prompt the hospital to
explore process improvements or additional resources to reduce waiting times.
e. Planning for the future: By analyzing long-term trends, healthcare administrators can make informed
decisions about future pharmacy expansion or renovation projects to accommodate the growing patient
population.
In summary, Figure 2, depicting the number of patients served at the OPD Pharmacy, serves as a valuable
tool for healthcare management, enabling them to assess, plan, and optimize pharmacy operations to provide
efficient and timely services to patients.

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Number of Patient Served OPD Pharmacy Number of Patient Served Inpatient Pharmacy

250.000 120000
200.000 100000
150.000 80000
100.000
60000
50.000
40000
0
20000
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

2019 2020 2021 2022 Series1 Series2 Series3 Series4

Number of Patient Served Oncology pharmacy Number of Patient Served Private Pharmacy

50000 25000
40000 20000
30000 15000
20000 10000
10000 5000
0 0

2019 2020 2021 2022 2019 2020 2021 2022

Figure 2. The number of patients served

Table 5 shows the average waiting time in King Hamad University Hospital, the average waiting
time i.e. the turnaround time has slightly dropped from 23.83 min to 13.60 min as shown in figure 1. This
information can be used to understand how long patients are waiting to receive their medication from the
pharmacy, and to identify any trends or patterns in the waiting time data. For example, you may see that the
average waiting time is higher during certain months of the year, or that the average waiting time has
decreased over the four-year period. This information can be used by the hospital and pharmacy to identify
areas for improvement in the efficiency of the pharmacy. For example, if the average waiting time is
consistently high during certain months of the year, the hospital and pharmacy may need to consider ways to
increase staffing levels or improve processes to reduce waiting times. By tracking the average waiting time
over time, the hospital and pharmacy can monitor their performance and assess the effectiveness of any
changes they have made to improve the efficiency of the pharmacy. This information can also be used to
track patient satisfaction and ensure that patients are receiving the care they need in a timely manner.

Table 5. Average waiting time in minutes

Average waiting time before being called to the 2019 2020 2021 2022
outpatient pharmacy dispensing counter (min)
January 38.14 8.07 2.12 1.19
February 23.41 3.17 .16 .35
March 25.04 3.03 .54 2.59
April 31.14 5.02 .17 .19
May 56.19 6.30 1.24 1.42
June 31.01 5.42 2.11 6.13
July 7.32 4.51 0.36 6.24
August 5.31 3.50 .17 0.07
September 9.34 4.03 0.32 6.23
October 3.89 4.04 3.55
November 4.56 5.50 2.51
December 7.23 7.58 3.42

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5. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The findings of this study highlight the potential advantages of integrating an automated waiting
system and prescription management in the pharmacy at King Hamad University Hospital. The ability for
doctors to send prescriptions electronically improves communication between healthcare providers and
pharmacists, ultimately saving time and effort while enhancing service efficiency. This demonstrates how
technological advancements can play a crucial role in optimizing patient care by streamlining processes
within hospital settings.
A key benefit of this system is the reduction in waiting times, which allows patients to receive their
medications more quickly and with greater accuracy. Improved coordination between doctors and
pharmacists not only enhances workflow but also minimizes the risk of prescription errors, ensuring a safer
and more reliable medication distribution process. By leveraging automation, hospitals can create a more
effective and patient-centered pharmacy experience.
Additionally, categorizing patients based on their specific needs can further enhance efficiency. For
instance, patients requiring extra time for detailed medication explanations, such as those with special needs
or compromised immune systems , should have access to a private consultation window. Meanwhile, routine
prescription refills, which require less time, should be processed separately and made available through
phone or online requests. This structured approach helps address one of the main causes of unclaimed
prescriptions (long wait times) by making the process quicker and more convenient for patients.

6. CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the study on the efficiency of waiting time in King Hamad University Hospital
Pharmacy highlights the importance of effective communication and streamlined processes in providing
efficient and effective patient care. The study's findings indicate that the implementation of an automated
waiting system with automated prescriptions has the potential to enhance communication between doctors
and pharmacists, save time and effort, and increase the overall efficiency of the service.
The results of the study provide valuable insights for healthcare providers and policymakers,
highlighting the potential benefits of technology in improving the patient experience and providing more
efficient care in hospital settings. The study's recommendations for the implementation of an automated
waiting system with automated prescriptions also offer a practical and effective solution for reducing waiting
times and minimizing the risk of medication errors.
Furthermore, this study underscores the importance of ongoing research and evaluation of hospital
and pharmacy efficiency in order to continually improve patient care and outcomes. By building on the
findings of this study, future research can help to identify further opportunities for improving efficiency and
enhancing the patient experience in hospital and pharmacy settings.
In summary, the study's findings and recommendations have significant implications for the practice
of healthcare in King Hamad University Hospital Pharmacy and provide a strong case for the implementation
of an automated waiting system with automated prescriptions. The study also highlights the broader
importance of improving communication and streamlining processes to enhance the efficiency and quality of
care provided to patients.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We extend our sincere gratitude to Yousif Mahmood Hussain (YMH) for their in-valuable support
and contributions to this research. Their assistance has been instrumental in our endeavor to enhance
healthcare through the dedicated implementation of automation in both the in-patient and outpatient
pharmacy at KHUH, effectively minimizing the workload on the pharmacists.

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BIOGRAPHIES OF AUTHORS

Anwar Al-Mofleh received his B.Sc. and MSc from Byelorussian Polytechnic
academy in. 1993. From 1998 until 2014 working as teacher assistant at Al-Balqa Applied
University, Jordan. Currently working as Biomedical Engineering in King Hamad Hospital
Bahrain. His research interests include renewable energy, biomedical engineering, and smart
hospital. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Analyzing the effectiveness of waiting times at the pharmacy of the King Hamad … (Anwar Al-Mofleh)
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Mohamed Alseddiqi received his B.Sc. from Ajman University/biomedical

engineering in 2018, and Master of Robotics and Autonomous Intelligent Systems in 2022
from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. Currently working as Biomedical
Engineering in King Hamad Hospital Bahrain His research interests include and biomedical
engineering, smart hospital. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Osama Najam received his B.Sc. from Ajman University/biomedical engineering

in 2018, currently working as Biomedical Engineering in King Hamad Hospital Bahrain and
safety officer for laser machine in the hospital. His research interests include biomedical
engineering and smart hospital. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Budoor AlMannaei received his B.Sc. from Ajman University/biomedical

engineering in 2016, and Master of science in engineering management (engineering
industrial management) 2020 from George Washington University. In 2019 promoted a
Director of Clinical Engineering Directorate King Hamad University Hospital-Bahrain. She
can be contacted at [email protected].

Leena Albalooshi received his B.Sc. from Ajman University/biomedical

engineering in 2021. She is currently working as Biomedical Engineering in King Hamad
Hospital Bahrain. She can be contacted at [email protected]

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