A generalised simulation system to support strategic resource planning in healthcare

Healthcare services within the western economies are currently undergoing many fundamental changes. Growing demand within a context of economic constraint are creating a need for efficiency savings and tighter control of limited resources. Healthcare managers are invariably faced with organisations which are highly complex and interactive in nature. Increasingly they require the tools which will enable them to accurately assess and quantify the impact of possible changes. This paper describes a generalised simulation system aimed to address some of these needs. This has been developed in liaison with health authorities in West Yorkshire, UK. where a new hospital is currently planned. The simulation system is designed as a ‘shell’ to support the development and use of a wide range of models rather than representing a bespoke solution to a specific issue. Developed in the Windows environment it utilises a Visual Basic graphical user interface linked to WITNESS simulation software. Key features are its ease of use, visual interaction and its flexibility, making it an accessible tool for direct use by healthcare managers. A sample case study is summarised which illustrates the use of the system to conduct ‘what-if’ type experiments. The results are validated against real healthcare data and the potentials of the system are evaluated within the strategic management process.