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Simulation is a three part process:
- the design of a model that describes an actual physical system
- the execution of this model on a computer
- the analysis of the execution output.
In simplest terms, a simulation is a role-play - build artificial objects and act out roles with these objects.
To comprehensively model an Emergency Department, the following would be required:
- Patient arrival times
- Physician schedules
- ED infrastructure
- Patient-Physician/clinician interactions based on symptom type
- Diversion criteria
- Documentation and admission/discharge processes.
Expected or average durations are then assigned for each of the time-based work flows and activities
Once these entities and interactions are described, a process is executed on a computer which, basically, steps through time. Durations for each time-based workflow and activity are assigned based on an applicable probability distribution. In a simulation of an Emergency Department, output of interest could be:
- Patient time in system
- Patients leaving without being seen
- Physician Utilization
- Time to see a Physician
- Ambulance Diversion
- Patient waiting time
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