Simulation in healthcare management: a soft approach (MAPIU)

Simulation application in healthcare is not as widely perceived for problem solving as it is in other application areas. This might be due to the way simulation is applied in healthcare modelling, as it follows a traditionally based on engineering approach. This may not be a problem in itself; however, healthcare systems are often complex in that they involve multiple decision-makers and thus understanding and communication between the various stakeholders is potentially problematic. Problem understanding and efficient communication means can widely contribute to the solution; consequently a modelling approach is proposed in this paper to enhance such understanding and communication. The approach is based on participation of stakeholders; it is also iterative. An example is given aiming to show how this approach has been used to successfully facilitate the modelling process, concluding that involving stakeholders throughout enables them to fully appreciate the findings. This approach thus serves to enrich the communication process.