http://www.rtr-tech.com/ en patty.rippin@rtr-tech.com Copyright 2013 2013-04-24T17:46:14+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/rtr-in-the-community/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/rtr-in-the-community/#When:16:46:14Z As part of RTR's mission to continuously serve the community in which it lives and works, President Randy Rippin recently began mentoring a student at John Carroll High School in Bel Air, MD.  The student, senior Bryan Fiddler, is completing his senior project in the area of computer science and information technology.  "RTR has always sought to support the education and training of students in the fields that we currently employ.  The overarching goal is the development of talent that may be able to support our company in the future," said Rippin.  "In addition, the need to produce more professionals in the field of STEM means that we must work with students early on in the educational lifecycle to generate interest and cultivate technical excellence." Bryan's project has been aided by the assistance of other RTR staff including  Senior Programmer, Nicholas Schoeb,  who has helped Bryan learn the mechanics of writing code.  The project is nearing 2/3 completion, and in addition to the technical elements that Bryan has learned in the field of IT, Randy has also instilled the importance of project management including development, execution, and milestones.  At the completion of the project, Bryan will produce a project chart, website, and presentation related to college curriculums.  "We are all very excited to see the end product.  Bryan is a remarkable young man and I have learned as much from him as he has from our team throughout this experience.  The future of STEM is bright in Maryland," said Rippin. "I am grateful to Randy Rippin for agreeing to be my mentor for my senior project.  Coming in with no experience in computer programming, I have certainly learned a lot in the past month.  Nick Schoeb has been a great teacher as well.  With their help, I am confident that that my presentation at school will turn out great,” said Bryan Fidler. Company News 2013-04-24T16:46:14+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/we-can-simulate-that-the-modern-dentist-office/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/we-can-simulate-that-the-modern-dentist-office/#When:13:00:49Z The Problem A very simple process can be examined in a straightforward manner.  You can more or less look at it and see what needs to be done.  For example, digging a hole seems like a fairly simple process.  You only have to figure out the shape and size of the hole, the material the hole needs to be dug out of, the tools available to dig, the number of people or tools to do the digging, how the hole needs to be shored up so it doesn’t cave in, how the material is to be removed from the hole and where it’s going to be put, how much all of the tools and processes are going to cost, what the weather will be like, whether any utility lines may be encountered, whether the hole is deep and narrow or shallow and wide, whether ramps into and out of the hole need to be constructed, what other activities are going on around the hole, what the hole is going to be used for, what if anything is going to go into the hole, how long you have to dig it, and whether you have to fill all of it or part of it back in. OK, maybe digging a hole isn’t so simple! We might guess ahead of time that operations at a dentist office can be pretty complex.  Sure, a single dentist running two chairs and a less-than-full appointment book might be straightforward, but if that same office includes more chairs, more procedures, more rooms, more dentists and assistants and hygienists, and more administrative personnel - things can get complicated very quickly. Discrete-event simulation can be used to analyze processes at a reasonable level of abstraction in a way that captures the important elements while ignoring the low-level details. Even looking at simple systems at a modest level of abstraction can illuminate many complex behaviors. The neat thing about this form of analysis is that what’s happening can be quickly evaluated and a simulation design quickly formulated  For example, performing a standard cleaning and checkup involves having the patient arrive and check in with the desk clerk, wait in the waiting room until called by the hygienist, and escorted to the selected treatment room.  At that point the hygienist cleans the patient’s teeth and then calls the dentist to perform the status examination.  The dentist then arrives, possibly after some wait, performs the exam, and departs, leaving the hygienist to escort the patient back to the desk where the patient waits to be checked out by the desk clerk. All of those processes can be described fairly simply in terms of the time they take, what must happen before each can begin and end, what resources are consumed, and what interactions there are with other processes.  The description above described only what happened from the patient’s point of view.  There are many processes that can be defined for each worker in the practice, as well as each treatment room, piece of equipment, set of dental tools, and so on. The Solution A simulation lets you represent a wide range of processes simply and directly.  Next, you can see interactions that are not immediately obvious.  You can generate huge amounts of data and, in some cases, you can run simulations many times to capture a wide range of possible outcomes. Some years ago we did precisely this for the activities within a dentist office.  The practice had several dentists, assistants, hygienists, administrative personnel, and machines; several different treatment rooms with a common waiting room, administration desk, and break area; and the capability of setting different schedules with different mixes and lengths of appointments.  It could even consider the occurrence of emergency treatment events that might require some of that day’s patients to be rescheduled.  The simulation was able to calculate the cost of running the operation considering factors such as rates of pay, fixed overhead costs, consumable materials, service and upgrades to equipment. Some of the questions we were able to examine were: Can we accomplish all of our administrative tasks with fewer personnel? Can a dentist add an additional chair and have time to squeeze extra patients into the schedule? Is there a way to apply extra assistants and hygienists in a way that lets the dentist see more patients? How many dentists can be working at one time, with a given mix of procedures, before wait times on certain pieces of shared equipment become too long? What happens if the dentist spends more time with each patient? Can the various sub-processes be made to fit into an appointment schedule based on 12-minute blocks rather than 15-minute blocks? What are the benefits of making the checkout  time faster? What happens if one of the assistants is out of the office? A similar analysis can be applied to any process.  For example, the activity in a dentist office is generally driven by the number and duration of appointments made, with the wildcard of a few emergencies and processes that unexpectedly take longer than planned.  An emergency room, on the other hand, is driven by arrivals that can happen at any time, and that activity may be mixed in with activities going on elsewhere in the hospital. These simulations, based on data that can reasonably be collected, can provide a great deal of insight into your process.  It can help analyze scheduling, equipment, personnel, cost, space, and any other resource or procedure of interest. Authored by Robert Churchill, Industrial Engineer 2013-04-24T13:00:49+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/are-you-asking-your-customers-the-right-questions/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/are-you-asking-your-customers-the-right-questions/#When:12:50:33Z Understanding customers’ needs and wants is integral to the success of any business. This is especially important in the healthcare field. While capturing a patient’s experience in the hospital is key, it is important to understand that other factors also affect the patient’s choices. The patient’s physician dictates where to send his/her referrals, and insurance companies determine which hospitals/practices are included in their covered providers group. The patient experience is not something that can be quantified by querying backend data and solely crunching numbers – there is a tangible experience that must be captured. In conjunction with the HCAHPS Survey, RTR’s experience with survey methodology will enable hospitals to not only efficiently and thoroughly document patients’ experiences, but to also determine and solve any cause of dissatisfaction. Similar to the HCAHPS Survey format, RTR has created surveys for multiple clients by categorizing data and asking uniform questions which allows easy comparison of the data. Data collectors at RTR have always provided proper instruction to ensure there is no bias during questioning,and that the surveys are presented in a consistent format. RTR’s previous surveys have included the Likert Scale to quantify and analyze survey responses. In past projects, the survey answers have also been converted to business process maps making it easier to visually understand workflows and identify redundancies or gaps in processes. In order to make it easier on the front end for the user taking the survey, as well as on the back end for analysts combining the survey responses, RTR has created multiple electronic surveys. Additionally, RTR analysts have experience administering surveys over the phone and in person. By using the above mentioned tools in addition to Lean Six Sigma tools such as cause-effect diagrams and fishbone diagrams, RTR can provide hospitals survey tools that complement the standard HCAHPS Survey to perform root cause analyses. The root cause analyses will use the HCAHPS survey responses as a foundation to determine which areas need to be focused on. RTR’s survey methodology will target these areas to determine where the reason for the patient’s displeasure lies in the entire end-to-end process, and all the factors contributing to it. By asking the right questions and using the appropriate tools, RTR’s experience with survey methodology will produce specific areas for improvement and clear guidance to hospitals. Authored by Adilah Michalak, Industrial Engineer 2013-04-24T12:50:33+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/rtr-technologies-and-the-human-side-of-data/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/rtr-technologies-and-the-human-side-of-data/#When:12:36:45Z Much has been made about big data as of late.  It has been cast as one of the next big revolutions in technology with application across a variety of business and government sectors.  At RTR, we have been in the business of data for nearly a decade and understand its potential and limitations as well as anybody in the industry. In this regard, I was struck when recently reading an article in the New York Times titled  “What Data Can’t Do” by columnist David Brooks.   I found myself in strong agreement with two particular statements; "Data struggles with context" and  "humans are not discrete events".  Brooks assertions are both important as we increasingly find ourselves in a world in which data, and data alone, drives business, consumer, and marketing decisions.  However, often times the data in isolation can only tell us so much.  It needs context and must be married with relevant subject matter expertise from the system that it was extracted from. That is where the experts at RTR come in.  For over a decade, our company has managed and analyzed vast sources of data in the field of Operations Research.  Indeed, our primary corporate objective is to deliver a comprehensive analytical narrative that relies on both the data and our expertise of numerous operational environments and systems. The RTR analysis model is based on an intimate understanding of the customers’ operational environment, problems within the environment, and the desired outcome.  As a result, RTR has produced invaluable analyses for our clients in the areas of statistical analysis, modeling and simulation, and test and evaluation which have helped the Federal Government improve operational efficiency and the acquisition process. At RTR, our understanding of our customer's operating environment is often just as important as the data that we collect and analyze.  As David Brooks states in his article "This is not to argue that big data isn’t a great tool. It’s just that, like any tool, it’s good at some things and not at others."  At RTR we agree, and its why we provide the data as well as the "others" as part of a holistic analytical approach. Authored by Reed Rippin, COO/Partner   Company News 2013-04-24T12:36:45+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/rtr-helps-local-walk-in-clinic-expand/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/rtr-helps-local-walk-in-clinic-expand/#When:16:06:48Z The health care market is rapidly changing amid vast regulatory and private sector pressures to reduce costs and provide a more effective and integrated approach to clinical care.   As organizations adapt to this changing landscape in ways that sustain adequate profit margins without sacrificing patient care, health care providers are increasingly looking to experts in the field of operations research for strategic guidance.  Recently, RTR worked with the Harford County based walk-in clinic, Total Urgent Care, to evaluate their current operations and assist them as they looked to expand their practice.  As part of this process, RTR examined a number of critical clinical factors such as total patients seen, processing times, staff schedules, hours of operations and diagnoses.  From these metrics, RTR was able to conduct a series of model runs that produced an optimal allocation of resources to demand under various scenarios.  Total Urgent Care was given predictive analytical results pertaining to patient wait times in waiting rooms/exam rooms, equipment utilization, and diagnostic times which allowed them to make informed clinical and financial determinations about expanding their practice. As part of the process, RTR used its new state- of- the-art medical simulation tool, MED PROC.  This tool employs a proprietary analytical framework known as ISOV- Investigate, Simulate, Optimize, and Visualize. In addition to the services provided for Total Urgent Care, the MED PROC decision support can be used to for analyses ranging from infrastructure changes to complex policy formulations, revenue forecasting to advanced performance measurement. As the health care market continues to undergo transformational change in the way care is both delivered and paid for, health care entities must understand the consequences of major organizational decisions prior to implementing them. RTRs recent project with Total Urgent Care is a shining example of how its industry leading background in operations research field can be used in conjunction with its new comprehensive healthcare tool, MED PROC, to quickly and inexpensively help customers make important business and clinical care decisions. Find out how we can help your health care organization perform more effectively.  We are currently serving clients in the following areas: Hospital Administrators Hospital Clinicians Hospital Quality and Safety Control Professionals Clinical Managers Clinical Providers Health IT Firms EMR Providers In-Home Care Providers Government Health Organizations To learn more about MED PROC's framework and the Health Care Services Business Division at RTR, call or send us an email.  Victoriaus Rippin can be reached at victoriaus.rippin@rtr-tech.com or (410) 273-1269.  View us online at www.rtr-tech.com 2013-03-12T16:06:48+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/delivering-excellence-in-enterprise-efficiency/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/delivering-excellence-in-enterprise-efficiency/#When:15:34:56Z At a time when decision makers must increasingly do more with less, RTR is finding innovative new ways to make its clients more efficient.  As the aerospace and technology industries braced for sequestration recently, it came with great pleasure as RTR Technologies received notice that a major Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initiative supported by the company was named as a finalist for excellence in enterprise efficiency by the American Council for Technology (ACT) – Industry Advisory Council (IAC).  Now more than ever, RTR is working with its clients in the government sector to make better use of their existing resources, whether they be technology, infrastructure, or manpower. The ACT-IAC finalist announcement was for the Land Border Integration's (LBI) Pedestrian Reengineering Initiative.  The LBI PMO is a directorate within the DHS Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO), an entity tasked with finding ways to efficiently process millions of travelers attempting to legally enter the United States while maintaining security.  The LBI PMO has successfully evaluated and implemented various inspections solutions that incorporate sophisticated information technologies and process improvements to enhance efficiency and security at land border crossings.  For most of the program's history the focus has been on travelers crossing the border in passenger vehicles.  Based on the program's success, the scope has since expanded to include vehicles exiting the US at border crossings, vehicles transiting through border patrol checkpoints, and pedestrians who cross at land ports of entry. From the inception of the LBI PMO, RTR has played a critical role in evaluating a range of proposed acquisitions and policy changes through its use of data collection and reporting, modeling and simulation, and 3D visualization.  For the last seven years, RTR has worked to increase the visibility of the LBI PMO's proposed solutions at specific border crossings and helped to empirically validate a number of high level initiatives prior to implementation.  RTR congratulates the LBI PMO for this prestigious designation and looks forward to assisting it in the future as it continues to develop effective and resource conscious ways of delivering enterprise efficiency. More information on the announcement can be found at: http://www.actgov.org/events/awards/exgov/2013EGAwards/Pages/default.aspx   Company News 2013-03-11T15:34:56+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/the-increasing-importance-of-data/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/the-increasing-importance-of-data/#When:17:49:54Z The View from RTR, is a series from technical leaders at RTR Technologies on recent trends, findings, and discoveries in the field of Operations Research. A common goal across all sectors in the current marketplace, both public and private, is to optimize the success of current processes and systems with limited resources available. To efficiently approach this issue, research into current operations is often necessary. This requires the collection and analysis of data, which depending on the methods used can be time consuming and costly. To minimize time and resources, automated systems are often used for data collection. The use of automated data collection allows for numerous variables to be collected at very frequent intervals. This method often results in the amalgamation of large quantities of data, commonly referred to today as “Big Data”. With the emergence of Big Data across all sectors in today’s market, it has been necessary to develop efficient techniques to mine and reduce this data for useful statistics. These methods range from simple random searches and queries to complex mathematical algorithms. There have been effective methods developed for many known scenarios; however, there is no universal best technique for all situations requiring data mining and reduction. As a result, the science of analyzing Big Data is constantly changing with new techniques frequently arising. Our team at RTR has been educated in established methods in data mining, data reduction, and statistical analysis and are continually encouraged to research new methods in these areas. Additionally, RTR has a rich history and current experience working with Big Data. An example of work performed at RTR includes analysts matching data collected by multiple automated sources with observed data collected for each vehicle crossing the U.S. border.  The data is matched and compiled into a database where analysts can reduce the data to statistics for use in various analyses concerning enforcement operations at the border. We are also in the pilot stage of a project that will use large amounts of sensor data to help the US military simulate force protection scenarios at forward operating bases overseas.  This project will use information collected from field sensors to determine facility based vulnerabilities and simulate the blast damage inflicted on infrastructure in the event of an insurgent attack.  The analysis will inform the design and operations of facilities in combat areas and the results will be visualized in 3D using UNITY 3D.  To conclude, the incorporation of Big Data in today’s private and public markets is quickly becoming a necessary tool for businesses looking to take advantage of an increasingly data driven world.  As the field of Big Data continually evolves, RTR Technologies is committed to the development of new techniques which allow our customers to make sense of the complex data sets encountered on an everyday basis.  The ubiquitous nature of data within even the most basic of enterprises means that organizations must quickly employ data discerning methodologies that allow them to stay ahead of their competition.  At RTR, we are constantly developing innovative new ways of putting only the most pertinent data in our customer’s hands, empowering them to make more informed business decisions.  As this scientific discipline continues to gain more widespread use, the technical team at RTR looks forward to further incorporating the use of "Big Data" into its suite of world class modeling and simulation, data collection, and data analysis solutions.  Authored by Jillian Rayburn Shea, Senior Analyst, MS Applied Mathematics from the Johns Hopkins University Industry News 2013-03-05T17:49:54+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/rtr-helps-local-firm-develop-new-apple-ipad-application/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/rtr-helps-local-firm-develop-new-apple-ipad-application/#When:20:33:33Z Exploring the many amenities Baltimore's Inner Harbor has to offer just got a whole lot easier.  With the creation of Baltimore Insite, an interactive 3D mapping service created by Ayers Saint Gross (ASG) subsidiary Virtual Destinations for the Apple iPad, convention and visitor bureaus now have the ability to create high quality 3D visualizations that allow potential customers to 'virtually' tour a city.  As part of the project, RTR Technologies, LLC (RTR) was contracted by ASG to help develop a stand-alone camera module that could be integrated into the application.  Relying on its UNITY 3D expertise, RTR quickly created the critical camera component.  This camera component facilitates the movement of the user through the 3D scene.  Additionally, it provides the capability for the user to access various views of the city. RTRs software development team has quickly emerged as one the industry's leaders in the creation of 3D visualizations, simulations, and real games for customers in the public and private sector.  Utilizing its expertise with the UNITY 3D game engine, RTR builds customized 3D solutions for customer's in defense, health care, transportation, and the tourism industry.  Let RTR create a customized 3D solution for your organization today.  For more information, contact John Karabias @ jjkarabias@rtr-tech.com or (410) 273-1269.  Find us online at www.rtr-tech.com.   Industry News 2013-01-25T20:33:33+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/from-the-partners-desk/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/from-the-partners-desk/#When:20:11:52Z We live in extraordinary times.  Consider the multitude of issues we currently face as a country.  The lasting effects of the financial crisis brought on by a housing bubble.  A resulting credit crunch that constrained consumer purchasing power and put downward pressure on an economy that is nearly 70% dependent on consumer spending.  Record high unemployment that continues to inhibit normal levels of economic growth.  Rising health care costs and new healthcare legislation designed to cover more Americans, but at what cost? Annual deficits that exceed $1 trillion and a national debt that now stands at over 100% of GDP (or the entire size of our economy).  Seemingly endless sequestration and debt ceiling fights that create financial and market uncertainty at intermittent periods throughout the year.  And last but certainly not least, continued confrontations in the middle east and the approaching military drawdown after a decade at war. These issues have been driving the decision making process for large and small businesses like RTR for several years now.  Large businesses have responded by downsizing, becoming more lean and in many cases consolidating their resources.  At the same time,  many of these large business have been searching for ways to grow by “thinking small”, small businesses have been seeking ways to grow by “thinking big”.  All Manufacturing, government and commercial service industries are forcing  themselves to “innovate or die".   Does any of this sound familiar?  These issues are causing profound changes in the current business landscape across markets, products, and services throughout the public and private sectors.  RTR, with the help of our industry partners and business advocates, recognized the changes that were going to impact our business and customer base early in 2011 and reacted quickly to initiate internal research and analysis to quantify, understand and utilize these changes to best serve our clients.  Who are our customers and just what industries does RTR serve?  I'm glad you asked.   RTR Technologies LLC has been providing Decision Support Services (DSS) utilizing the science of operations research (OR) with a focus in Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis (MS&A), data analytics, and 3D visualization for the Department of Defense (DOD) and other federal agencies since the company’s inception in 2003.  RTR recognizes that in any period of transition there are strategic and operational decisions that have to be quickly made.  These decisions often require a judgment to be made between alternative options.  RTR’s niche skills and experience are applied to best quantify then analyze those alternatives to reach the “best performance solution” and when data is available, at the “lowest cost”.  Over two years ago we initiated an internal RTR industry and performance analysis to determine how and where we might grow our business today and into the future understanding this new business landscape. What changes were identified as a result of our internal analysis?  From a strategic perspective, RTR is convinced that the changes anticipated in DOD and other federal agency funding, policy, and strategy reinforce our determination to remain a niche services provider specializing in the skills and services that are the core of our business - advanced analytics.  And to ensure that we do not suffer the consequences of government indecision on budgets and contracting, we are focusing our services in a area of better return on investment (ROI).  Given the inevitable realities of tightening public and private sector budgets, we are for example, developing DSS and OR service solutions focused on healthcare management in the commercial market.  Our skilled analysts, simulation modelers and software developers are creating innovative mobile tools to aide healthcare decision makers in improving ROI, meeting performance mandates, and aligning resources with those improvements.  By leveraging our years of experience in the science of operations research and the current education and deep experience of our gaming experts, software developers, and graphics artists we will bring innovative mobile analysis and training solutions to the Healthcare market along with our forward thinking decision support services to our government clients. What are some of the exciting DSS and OR innovations that RTR is working on today? RTR is well on its way to deploying mobile solutions that meet our customer's strategic imperatives.  We are extremely excited about the new products and services that we have to offer customers across a broad array of markets both public and private.  To learn more about RTR Technologies review our news articles at www.rtr-tech.com Randy Rippin President/Partner   Industry News 2013-01-25T20:11:52+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/rtr-unveils-medproc-decision-support-tool-for-health-care-clients/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/rtr-unveils-medproc-decision-support-tool-for-health-care-clients/#When:07:10:47Z RTR is excited to announce that its newest decision support tool, MED PROC, is now available to clients in the health care sector. MED PROC is a state of the art analytical tool designed for health care professionals looking to improve performance in any number of ways.  It is the result of a rigorous research and development process involving RTR's software development team, RTR process analysts, and consultation with experts in the health care industry.  MED PROC employs a proprietary analytical framework known as ISOV - Investigate, Simulate, Optimize and Visualize. The ISOV framework is a holistic approach that involves extensive discussions with the client, on-site data collection, and a thorough analysis that delivers clear, concise and actionable results.  The ISOV process in conjunction with the MED PROC decision support tool is distinct from any other service currently on the market.  Whether clients are small clinical managers looking to reduce overhead, increase efficiency, and generate more revenue or large health care organizations seeking to implement new regulatory and incentive based initiatives, MED PROC is the answer.  Clients that will realize significant benefits by using MED PROC include: Hospital Administrators Hospital Clinicians Hospital Quality and Safety Control Professionals Clinical Managers Clinical Providers Health IT Firms EMR Providers In-Home Care Providers Government Health Organizations For nearly 10 years, RTR has distinguished itself as one of the region's leaders' in the defense market by transforming data into knowledge. With the introduction of MED PROC and the associated ISOV process, RTR will once again distinguish itself with a product and service unlike any other currently available in the health care industry.  To learn more about MED PROC's framework, call or send us an email.  Victoriaus Rippin can be reached at our Health Care Services Business Division at victoriaus.rippin@rtr-tech.com or (410) 273-1269.  View us online at www.rtr-tech.com Company News 2013-01-24T07:10:47+00:00