Tools of the trade: computer simulation helps with transition planning

A simulation model is a representation of a system that assumes or mimics the system’s pertinent outward qualities, which can be used to infer how the real system will operate. Manuel D. Rossetti, Simulation Modeling and Arena, (Hoboken:  John Wiley & Sons, 2010). 

Computer simulation has been used for scenario testing in the manufacturing industry for many years.  Only recently has it become common in a hospital setting where patients are the focus.  It is being used to solve problems involving the flow of patients, scheduling, logistics, and transportation within healthcare facilities. The Transition Support Office (TSO) of the MUHC is using simulation as a tool to test different scenarios without disrupting everyday activities—in health care, this is fundamental to continuous improvement and robust decision-making.  

In the TSO, project managers recognize simulation as an invaluable tool.   After collecting the necessary data in partnership with Quality & Performance, programmers can build a model that best mimics a real-life situation.  Adjusting schedules and the number of resources allows tweaking of the model to gain efficiencies based on the simulation results.  Testing alternative solutions within the software allows management to use this statistically significant information as the basis for their decisions.

“Across the MUHC, teams are working diligently to optimize processes and practices. Tools like simulation are instrumental in helping us identify what improvements are needed and make sound decisions for the future,” says Marie-Claire Richer, director, Transition Support Office. 

Simulation has proven useful for the MUHC’s surgical services where the goal was to determine the optimal distribution of specialties by hospital site, based on current volumes.   The model considered several constraints including the total number of ORs, schedules, allocated block times, case severity, overtime and seasonality.  Without such a tool, it would be difficult to compare alternative scenarios in such a robust fashion.  This type of environment cannot be tested in real time without risking the quality of care for patients or causing disruptions in the surgical schedule.

 “By providing data-driven evidence to support decision-making we are proactively managing risk, avoiding costs and minimizing future operational disruptions,” says Robert Kuy, Transition Support Office project manager. 

“When it comes to the harmonization and optimization of practices, our health care professionals are really the ones who implement any new systems,” says Richer. “The TSO is there to support them and provide them with the information they need to make the best decisions, and simulation helps us do that.”