Optimizing Emergency Medical Service Structures Using a Rule-Based Discrete Event Simulation—A Practitioner’s Point of View

Christoph Strauss, Günter Bildstein, Jana Efe, Theo Flacher, Karen Hofmann, Markus Huggler, Adrian Stämpfli, Michael Schmid, Esther Schmid, Christian Gehring, David Häske, Stephan Prückner, Jan Philipp Stock and Heiko Trentzsch
Additional contact information
Christoph Strauss: IMS Institut für Modellbildung und Simulation, OST—Ostschweizer Fachhochschule, Rosenbergstrasse 59, 9001 St. Gallen, Switzerland
Günter Bildstein: Rettung St. Gallen, Mooswiesstrasse 30, 9200 Gossau, Switzerland
Jana Efe: Kantonsspital Baselland, 4101 Bruderholz, Switzerland
Theo Flacher: City of Zurich, Protection & Rescue Zurich, Weststrasse 4, 8036 Zurich, Switzerland
Karen Hofmann: Canton of Bern, Gesundheits-, Sozial- und Integrationsdirektion, Rathausgasse 1, Postfach 3000 Bern 8, Switzerland
Markus Huggler: Rettungsdienst Kantonsspital Winterthur, Brauerstrasse 20, Postfach 834, 8401 Winterthur, Switzerland
Adrian Stämpfli: IMS Institut für Modellbildung und Simulation, OST—Ostschweizer Fachhochschule, Rosenbergstrasse 59, 9001 St. Gallen, Switzerland
Michael Schmid: IMS Institut für Modellbildung und Simulation, OST—Ostschweizer Fachhochschule, Rosenbergstrasse 59, 9001 St. Gallen, Switzerland
Esther Schmid: Rettungsdienst Luzerner Kantonsspital, Spitalstrasse, 6000 Luzern 16, Switzerland
Christian Gehring: Institut für Notfallmedizin und Medizinmanagement (INM), Klinikum der Universität München, LMU München, Schillerstr. 53, 80336 München, Germany
David Häske: Center for Public Health and Health Services Reserch, University Hospital Tübingen, Osianderstrasse 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
Stephan Prückner: Institut für Notfallmedizin und Medizinmanagement (INM), Klinikum der Universität München, LMU München, Schillerstr. 53, 80336 München, Germany
Jan Philipp Stock: Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine, Emergency and Pain Medicine, Klinikum am Steinenberg, Steinenbergstr. 31, 72764 Reutlingen, Germany
Heiko Trentzsch: Institut für Notfallmedizin und Medizinmanagement (INM), Klinikum der Universität München, LMU München, Schillerstr. 53, 80336 München, Germany

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 5, 1-22

Abstract: Many studies in research deal with optimizing emergency medical services (EMS) on both the operational and the strategic level. It is the purpose of this method-oriented article to explain the major features of “rule-based discrete event simulation” (rule-based DES), which we developed independently in Germany and Switzerland. Our rule-based DES addresses questions concerning the location and relocation of ambulances, dispatching and routing policies, and EMS interplay with other players in prehospital care. We highlight three typical use cases from a practitioner’s perspective and go into different countries’ peculiarities. We show how research results are applied to EMS and healthcare organizations to simulate and optimize specific regions in Germany and Switzerland with their strong federal structures. The rule-based DES serves as basis for decision support to improve regional emergency services’ efficiency without increasing cost. Finally, all simulation-based methods suggest normative solutions and optimize EMS’ performance within given healthcare system structures. We argue that interactions between EMS, emergency departments, and public healthcare agencies are crucial to further improving effectiveness, efficiency, and quality.

Keywords: multicopter; prehospital emergency care; emergency departments; transport of patients; tracer diagnoses; response time; fleet management; emergency medical dispatch; system dynamics; group model building (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:5:p:2649-:d:511650

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