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Combining discrete-event simulation and system dynamics in a healthcare setting: a composite model for Chlamydia infection

Combining discrete-event simulation and system dynamics in a healthcare setting: a composite model for Chlamydia infection
Combining discrete-event simulation and system dynamics in a healthcare setting: a composite model for Chlamydia infection
This paper presents a composite model in which two simulation approaches, discrete-event simulation (DES) and system dynamics (SD), are used together to address a major healthcare problem, the sexually transmitted infection Chlamydia. The paper continues an on-going discussion in the literature about the potential benefits of linking DES and SD. Previous researchers have argued that DES and SD are complementary approaches and many real-world problems would benefit from combining both methods. In this paper, a DES model of the hospital outpatient clinic which treats Chlamydia patients is combined with an SD model of the infection process in the community. These two models were developed in commercial software and linked in an automated fashion via an Excel interface. To our knowledge this is the first time such a composite model has been used in a healthcare setting. The model shows how the prevalence of Chlamydia at a community level affects (and is affected by) operational level decisions made in the hospital outpatient department. We discuss the additional benefits provided by the composite model over and above the benefits gained from the two individual models
0377-2217
196-206
Viana, Joe
08970783-153c-4d53-9d2a-75f85f0364bb
Brailsford, S.C.
634585ff-c828-46ca-b33d-7ac017dda04f
Harindra, V
767235ab-44e9-4dcc-8cff-5b7ae82adf94
Harper, P.R.
e9853fed-d08b-4041-8d1e-c170fb1949f7
Viana, Joe
08970783-153c-4d53-9d2a-75f85f0364bb
Brailsford, S.C.
634585ff-c828-46ca-b33d-7ac017dda04f
Harindra, V
767235ab-44e9-4dcc-8cff-5b7ae82adf94
Harper, P.R.
e9853fed-d08b-4041-8d1e-c170fb1949f7

Viana, Joe, Brailsford, S.C., Harindra, V and Harper, P.R. (2014) Combining discrete-event simulation and system dynamics in a healthcare setting: a composite model for Chlamydia infection. European Journal of Operational Research, 237 (1), 196-206. (doi:10.1016/j.ejor.2014.02.052).

Record type: Article

Abstract

This paper presents a composite model in which two simulation approaches, discrete-event simulation (DES) and system dynamics (SD), are used together to address a major healthcare problem, the sexually transmitted infection Chlamydia. The paper continues an on-going discussion in the literature about the potential benefits of linking DES and SD. Previous researchers have argued that DES and SD are complementary approaches and many real-world problems would benefit from combining both methods. In this paper, a DES model of the hospital outpatient clinic which treats Chlamydia patients is combined with an SD model of the infection process in the community. These two models were developed in commercial software and linked in an automated fashion via an Excel interface. To our knowledge this is the first time such a composite model has been used in a healthcare setting. The model shows how the prevalence of Chlamydia at a community level affects (and is affected by) operational level decisions made in the hospital outpatient department. We discuss the additional benefits provided by the composite model over and above the benefits gained from the two individual models

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Accepted/In Press date: 22 February 2014
e-pub ahead of print date: 1 March 2014
Published date: 16 August 2014
Organisations: Centre of Excellence for International Banking, Finance & Accounting

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 363231
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/363231
ISSN: 0377-2217
PURE UUID: 2ce334ee-6c85-4ee0-b853-437a422fe888
ORCID for S.C. Brailsford: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-6665-8230

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Date deposited: 21 Mar 2014 14:20
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 02:42

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Contributors

Author: Joe Viana
Author: S.C. Brailsford ORCID iD
Author: V Harindra
Author: P.R. Harper

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