An Artificial Urban Health Care System and Applications

In recent years, reform and development of the urban health care system (HCS) in China has attracted increasing attentions. An urban HCS includes Community Health Systems (CHS, e.g. community hospitals) and Medical Delivery Systems (MDS, e.g. general hospitals). More cooperation between these two systems could greatly improve overall health care: making medical service more convenient and cost-effective. The urban HCS is a complex system extensively influenced by human behavior. Therefore, it is important to study patient hospital preferences and related patient decision making behavior. Using Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation (ABMS) as an innovative tool, we build an artificial HCS as a platform on which to study medical cooperation, such as sharing beds, sharing doctors and cost accommodation. The results show that patient access time can be greatly reduced and the overuse of resources in MDS is relieved. We also develop the referral appointment system based on linear programming, and present its benefits and capabilities. By adopting the artificial HCS platform in practice, researchers are capable of providing valuable insights to urban health care management.

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