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A hospital in Abu Dhabi where patients wait to go home

You run the case. Read the prompt, answer questions from the notes below, and share data only when the candidate asks for it or gets stuck. Score at the end.

Case timer

00:00

Target length:

1. Read the prompt aloud

Read it slowly, then pause. Let the candidate ask questions before they structure.

A private hospital in Abu Dhabi has 200 beds, 90 percent full on average. Patients stay 5 days on average, but half a day of that is waiting to go home: for the discharge letter, for medicines to take home, or for transport. Planning discharges the day before cuts the average stay to 4.5 days. Patients are on a waiting list, and each extra admission earns AED 3,000 of contribution. What is this worth? (Fictional hospital, illustrative figures.)

2. Answers to clarifying questions

This case has no scripted clarifying answers. Answer from the prompt, and say "assume what you think is reasonable" if the prompt does not cover it.

3. A model structure

Compare the candidate's structure with this one. A different split can be just as good if it is clean and fits the problem.

Patients a year = bed-days available / average stay
- Bed-days used a year = beds x 365 x occupancy
- Key: Patients before and after the shorter stay
- Value = extra patients x contribution

4. The working, step by step

Each step shows how a strong candidate works it out. Share a new fact from it only when the candidate asks or is stuck, and let them do the math: the result in the dark box is what they should reach.

Step 1: Bed-days a year
What a strong candidate does: 200 beds x 365 days x 90 percent full.
Bed-days used a year: 200 × 365 × 0.9 = 65,700
Step 2: Patients before
What a strong candidate does: 65,700 bed-days / 5 days each.
Patients a year before: 65,700 ÷ 5 = 13,140
Step 3: Patients after
What a strong candidate does: 65,700 bed-days / 4.5 days each.
Patients a year after: 65,700 ÷ 4.5 = 14,600
Step 4: Extra patients
What a strong candidate does: The same beds, more patients.
Extra patients a year: 14,600 - 13,140 = 1,460
Step 5: Value
What a strong candidate does: 1,460 extra admissions at AED 3,000 each.
Extra contribution a year (AED): 1,460 × 3,000 = 4,380,000
Step 6: Beds this is worth
What a strong candidate does: How many beds the hospital would need to add to treat as many patients at the old 5-day stay.
Equivalent new beds: 200 × 5 ÷ 4.5 - 200 = 22.22

The recommendation to listen for

At the end, say: "The CEO walks in. What is your recommendation?"

Removing half a day of waiting lets the same 200 beds treat about 1,460 more patients a year, worth about AED 4.4 million of contribution: the same as building roughly 22 new beds, with no construction. The waste was waiting, not medical care, so the change does not shorten treatment. The risks are sending patients home too early, so track readmissions, and that the gain is real only if patients are waiting for beds.

Score the candidate

Score each criterion from 1 to 5. A 2 or a 4 sits between the descriptions.

This case has no exhibit. Score Exhibit reading on how the candidate used the data you gave them: did they pick out the number that matters and say what it means?

Structuring

1: No clear structure, or a memorized framework that does not fit the problem.
3: A sensible structure, but with some overlap, a gap, or no clear priority.
5: A structure built for this problem, with no overlap and no gaps, a stated hypothesis, and a clear first step.

Math

1: Frequent errors, no units, or needed heavy help to finish.
3: Right answers but slow or messy working, or one error caught late.
5: Accurate and clearly narrated, with units, a sense check, and what the number means.

Exhibit reading

1: Read the chart aloud without finding the number that matters.
3: Found the key number but gave only part of the so-what.
5: Pulled the right number quickly and said what it means for the case.

Synthesis

1: Summarized what was done, with no clear answer.
3: Gave an answer, but with weak reasons or no next step.
5: Answer first, then two or three reasons with numbers, the main risk, and next steps.

Communication

1: Hard to follow: long silences, no signposting.
3: Clear most of the time, with some rambling.
5: Calm and concise, signposted each step, and checked in with the interviewer.

Total

0 out of 25

Score all five criteria to see the band and the feedback template.