Evaluating policies using agent-based simulations: investigating policies for continuity of care Online publication date: Thu, 30-Apr-2015
by Gregory W. Ramsey
International Journal of Simulation and Process Modelling (IJSPM), Vol. 9, No. 4, 2014
Abstract: Anticipating effects of proposed clinical policies is a difficult task. This study investigates the usefulness of agent-based simulations for evaluating clinical policies. Two policies for continuity of care for patients with type 2 diabetes are investigated using an agent-based simulation. Computational models of a dynamic decision environment were simulated to determine aggregated effects of individual care-providing agents acting to achieve clinical goals. The simulated policies were: 1) continuous care (CC), where each patient was randomly assigned a specific physician model for care across visits; 2) opportunistic care (OC), where each patient on each visit was randomly assigned to a physician model for treatment. These policy scenarios are at the crux of a debate as to whether continuity of care needs to be administered by a single provider or by a single organisation (e.g., clinic). The study determines under which conditions CC and OC policies result in favourable patient outcomes.
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