A Customizable Agent-Based Simulation Framework for Emergency Departments

Abstract

Emergency Departments (EDs) face increasing complexity due to rising patient demand, resource constraints, and the need for efficient service coordination. Traditional simulation models, while useful, cannot be easily adapted to a different hospital environments, making it difficult to transfer and scale solutions. Based on previous work, with a simulator working in a hospital, this work describes a modular Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation (ABMS) approach for increasing flexibility adaptation and reuse in ED simulations. The proposed technique, which deconstructs existing models into individual components, will allow hospitals with different workflows and operational constraints to construct customized simulations. To validate this methodology, we develop a structured, modular framework using NetLogo and Python. The suggested metasystem enables adaptive simulation-based decision assistance for emergency departments, which improves resource allocation and operational planning.