Development of an Executable Model for a Hospital Medication Distribution Process using Hierarchical Timed Coloured Petri Nets

Abstract

Medication distribution units offer one of the most sensitive services that determine the rate of quality service for patients’ satisfaction in hospitals. In solving the issues of inefficient hospital medication distribution processes, a Hierarchical Timed Coloured Petri Nets (HTCPN) formalism was employed in this paper to model a decentralized hospital medication distribution process using Bowen University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria as a case study. The developed HTCPN model is made up of seven (7) modules conceptualizing medication distribution processes taking place in Children’s ward, Men’s ward, Women’s ward, Private ward, Neonatal ward, Intensive care unit and Pharmacy. These modules modelled the prescription, checking and billing, transportation and administration of medications to the patients via urgent, daily and medicine cabinet requests. The developed HTCPN model can be easily modified through it associated modules to suit any future modification in the considered process or other related ones.