Journal Article

Applications of simulation within the healthcare context

Mustafee, N, Katsaliaki, K

2011

Overview

A large number of studies have applied simulation to a multitude of issues relating to healthcare. These studies have been published in a number of unrelated publishing outlets, which may hamper the widespread reference and use of such resources. In this paper, we analyse existing research in healthcare simulation in order to categorise and synthesise it in a meaningful manner. Hence, the aim of this paper is to conduct a review of the literature pertaining to simulation research within healthcare in order to ascertain its current development. A review of approximately 250 high-quality journal papers published between 1970 and 2007 on healthcare-related simulation research was conducted. The results present a classification of the healthcare publications according to the simulation techniques they employ; the impact of published literature in healthcare simulation; a report on demonstration and implementation of the studies' results; the sources of funding; and the software used. Healthcare planners and researchers will benefit from this study by having ready access to an indicative article collection of simulation techniques applied to healthcare problems that are clustered under meaningful headings. This study facilitates the understanding of the potential of different simulation techniques in solving diverse healthcare problems.

• Publisher: Taylor & Francis,Palgrave Macmillan,Palgrave Macmillan UK,Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subject: Applied sciences / Biological and medical sciences / Business and Management / Computer science; control theory; systems / Computer simulation / Computer software / Computerized, statistical medical data processing and models in biomedicine / Disease models / Drug design / Economic models / Exact sciences and technology / General Paper / General Papers / Health care / Health care industry / Health care policy / Management / Medical sciences / Modeling / Models and simulation / Monte Carlo methods / Monte Carlo simulation / Objectives / Operations management / Operations research / Operations Research/Decision Theory / OR in health / research issues / Research methodology / Research papers / research trends / Risk analysis / Simulation / Simulations / Software / Studies