Dimensional Modeling Case Study, Part 4 – Dynamic Time Duration Dimension


Background

In the first parts of this series (part 1, part 2, part 3), we explored dimension tables for age groups, calendar days, and dynamic banding at the day level. These covered time aspects that align with calendar structures—birthdates, admission dates, lengths of stay. But many operational questions are about durations, not dates.

In healthcare especially, you often ask:

  • How long did a patient wait for triage?
  • How long was the ED stay?
  • How quickly did staff respond to a nurse call?
  • What’s the average queue time