Article ID: | iaor20105534 |
Volume: | 41 |
Issue: | 3 |
Start Page Number: | 261 |
End Page Number: | 270 |
Publication Date: | Mar 2010 |
Journal: | International Journal of Systems Science |
Authors: | Kanagarajah A, Parker D, Xu H |
Keywords: | supply & supply chains, simulation: applications |
Health care supply networks are multi-faceted complex structures. This article discusses architecture of complex systems and an agent-based modelling framework to study health care supply networks and their impact on patient safety, economics, and workloads. Here we demonstrate the application of a safety dynamics model proposed by Cook and Rasmussen (2005) to study a health care system, using a hypothetical simulation of an emergency department as a representative unit and its dynamic behaviour. By means of simulation, this article demonstrates the non-linear behaviours of a health service unit and its complexities; and how the safety dynamic model may be used to evaluate the various policy and design aspects of health care supply networks.