A simulation-based decision support system to model complex demand driven healthcare facilities

Simulating healthcare processes is a sophisticated endeavor. Treatment processes and patient arrival patterns differ significantly in their statistical attributes and implicate a high degree of variability. In addition, there are several types of interconnected processes of medical staff involved that accompany a patient´s journey through the healthcare facility. Replicating this behavior with process flow models in a discrete event simulation model is highly complex and therefore difficult to create while maintaining a high degree of precision. A framework is thus introduced which delivers an algorithm that allows to implement Multiple Participant Pathway Modeling (MPPM) under the consideration of Flexible Resource Allocation (FRA). This framework is applied on an Irish Emergency Department (ED), the outcome of which is presented here. Results show that scenarios can be investigated which impact several different process flows with a high precision. This provides a solid base for both the interpretation of results and decision making.