Why are modeling and simulation relevant in healthcare informatics?
Healthcare informatics has progressed from workflow automation to using the information applications collect to support and improve productivity and customer value. The next generation of problem solving in healthcare will be process systems and simulations that use the data generated by the many healthcare information applications to direct change to the workflow and operational processes in real time. The challenge is knowing what works best, where to change, and when to initiate the change. Modeling and simulation offers the ability to carry out complex changes on the computer to produce a virtual replicated environment to test alternative solutions before we go live with changes. Modeling and simulation allow a richer depiction of the actual problem space by including not just structural issues and business rules, but the clinical logic that is inherent in the flow of patients.
