Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32984824›Full record

ArticleCritical care explorations2020

Discrete-Event Simulation Modeling of Critical Care Flow: New Hospital, Old Challenges.

Elizabeth Williams, Tamas Szakmany, Izabela Spernaes, Babu Muthuswamy, Penny Holborn

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Critical care explorations, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. [The SCATTER project: computer-based simulation in the strategic transfer of intensive care patients].Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz · 2024
    Article
  3. Flow-Sizing Critical Care Resources.Critical care medicine · 2023
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Elizabeth WilliamsSchool of Computing & Mathematics, University of South Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
Tamas SzakmanyDivision of Population Medicine, Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
Izabela SpernaesABCi, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Newport, United Kingdom.
Babu MuthuswamyCritical Care Directorate, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Newport, United Kingdom.
Penny HolbornSchool of Computing & Mathematics, University of South Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesAs the demand for critical care beds rises each year, hospitals must be able to adapt. Delayed transfer of care reduces available critical care capacity and increases occupancy. The use of mathematic modeling within healthcare systems has the ability to aid planning of resources. Discrete-event simulation models can determine the optimal number of critical care beds required and simulate different what-if scenarios.

designComplex discrete-event simulation model was developed using a warm-up period of 30 days and ran for 30 trials against a 2-year period with the mean calculated for the runs. A variety of different scenarios were investigated to determine the effects of increasing capacity, increasing demand, and reduction of proportion and length of delayed transfer of care out of the ICU.

settingCombined data from two ICUs in United Kingdom. PATIENTS: The model was developed using 1,728 patient records and was validated against an independent dataset of 2,650 patients.

interventionsNone. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN

resultsDuring model validation, the average bed utilization and admittance rate were equal to the real-world data. In the what-if scenarios, we found that increasing bed numbers from 23 to 28 keeping the arrival rate stable reduces the average occupancy rate to 70%. We found that the projected 4% yearly increase in admissions could overwhelm even the 28-bedded unit, without change in the delayed transfer of care episodes. Reduction in the proportion of patients experiencing delayed transfer of care had the biggest effect on occupancy rates, time spent at full capacity, and average bed utilization.

conclusionsUsing discrete-event simulation of commonly available baseline patient flow and patient care data produces reproducible models. Reducing the proportion of patients with delayed transfer of care had a greater effect in reducing occupancy levels than simply increasing bed numbers even when demand is increased.

Indexed as

critical caredelayed transfer of carediscrete-event simulationmodeling

Identifiers

PMID32984824
PMCPMC7491890

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.