Business Process Mining in Healthcare with State-of-the-Art Open Source Tools

This study investigates the application of business process mining to optimize patient flow, minimize wait times, and enhance resource utilization in an ophthalmology clinic. Using open-source R packages, particularly bupaR, we analyzed event logs derived from patient data across multiple IT systems, mapping the patient journey from scheduling to discharge. The findings demonstrate that process mining effectively supports the understanding and improvement of organizational workflows. Additionally, the study highlights that commercial tools are not essential for such analyses; individuals with moderate IT expertise can easily adopt open-source alternatives. Crucially, success depends not on mastering the tools’ intricate mechanisms but on the ability to accurately interpret results and understand key methodological parameters.