PHYSIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS' NUMBERS IN MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND HOSPITAL COST-EFFECTIVE OPERATION

In paper, we are providing a novel concept of analyzing physiological systems in terms of non-dimensional physiological indices (NDPIs), for quantifying patient health and disease status as well as patient improvement. We have developed NDPI's for several physiological phenomena and systems, and indicated as to how they can be employed diagnostically. NDPIs have been formulated and evaluated for (i) left-ventricular pumping performance, (ii) cardiac fitness and conditioning, (iii) lung ventilatory function, (iv) Oral glucose tolerance test, (v) arteriosclerosis, (vi) atherosclerosis and peripheral resistance, (vii) mitral valve property, and (viii) osteoporosis. We have then also applied these NDPI's for (i) formulating and assessing the performance indices of hispital units and (ii) determining the resource index for cost-effective operation, contributory to hospital management-science.