For each of these standardand optional activities we registered
the required time to perform the activity (Table 2).
The total time – in min – per main activity is then the sum
of the time required to perform the standard and optional
activities, taken into account that certain characteristics
could influence the presence of different variables in the
time equation. For that reason these characteristics are represented
by dummy variables, which are equal to zero or
one. Furthermore, the time equations are set up chronologically,
implying that both the main activities and the
optional activities occur in the order of the position in their
time equation. To get an idea of the method of working, the
time equations for the technical and non-technical consultations
of the Gastroenterology department are derived in
Table 2.