Discussion Post: Forecasting
Forecasting techniques are used to predict how many patients or patient days a unit,
department, or organization will treat (Jones et al., 2019). Forecasting is used to prepare budgets
and manage the finances of an entire organization or specific area of care. When using
forecasting, it is important to think about what we already know about the patient population and
the acuity of that population. Using forecasting helps to determine what supplies are necessary to
care for the patients. In my facility, forecasting is often used to budget for supplies to prevent
patients from adverse events such as CLABSI’s and CAUTI’s. The type of forecasting process
that’s used at my facility is the quantitative method. A qualitative method is used because it uses
real time data to determine trends that can be used for the upcoming year.
Seasonality can be patterns found in healthcare due to the changes in seasons. Seasonality
can affect different healthcare organizations in different ways. Seasonality can also be very
evident or there may be a subtle pattern. In my facility, during the summer, there is an increase in
the number of patients that come in due to the increased amount of outdoor activities and
vacation. However, winter is also a busy season for my facility because the temperatures drop
