Simulation-based study of hematology outpatient clinics with focus on model reusability

Abstract

Several factors are expected to significantly increase stakeholders' interest in healthcare simulation studies in the foreseeable future, e.g., the use of metrics for performance measurement, and increasing patients' expectations. To cater to this, several strategies may have to be implemented in concert, e.g., development of skilled manpower and engagement with academia. The focus of this paper is on one such strategy -model reusability. The paper reports on an ongoing study that investigates the outpatient capacity and demand for specialist hematology services. The primary objective of this study is to test strategies for service consolidation. Yet another objective is to model the simulation with the granularity that would enable the model to reused in similar operations context. The paper discusses the reusability aspect and presents an overview of the hematology OPD case study; since this is an ongoing study the results of the simulation are not presented in this paper.