Optimizing Bed Allocation for COVID-19 patients in Hospital: A Simul8 Model

Logical Flow of the Simul8 Model

You have been given two key tasks:

1. to describe the logic of the model, particularly in the areas of resources available to the recovery ward and the HDU and the ICU;  
2. To advise management on the best way to distribute the 70 new beds across the three wards so as to minimize transfers to other hospitals and to maximize successful discharges through the hospital.

Describe the logical flow of the simul model provided, with a special emphasis on the resources available in the recovery ward, the HDU and the ICU.  

2.Use the simul8 model provided to change the level of Bedding at the recovery ward, HDU and ICU at appropriate levels in order to use up the 70 bed capacity.  By performing a series of experiments with bed allocation, justify a redistribution of the 70 beds in such a way that it will reduce the treatment burden on the GCC.  

3.Are all 70 beds required or can the hospital run almost as smoothly with less than 70 extra beds?  If so, estimate how many beds would be required to make the most impact.

Tasks

1.Enhance the Simul8 model (covid20.s8) as it has been provided, with a special emphasis on how transfers arise and the resources available in the recovery ward, the HDU and the ICU.

2.Adapt the Simul8 model that has been provided to cope with the provision of 70 new beds, as described in this project brief so as to reduce the number of transfers from the hospital and increase the number of patients successfully discharged.

3.Advise the management on whether or not the same results could be achieved with fewer than 70 beds, or whether more might be needed to deal with the maximum flow rate of 250 patients arriving per week.

4.Write a report a report containing:

• summary: very briefly stating the key objectives, methods results and recommendations
• contents page
• Describe your adapted model covid20 highlighting the key improvements in the areas of recovery ward, HDU and ICU.
• Analyse whether the same results could be provided with less than 70 extra beds, or whether better results could be achieved with more than 70 beds.
• recommendations: interpreting the results of the analyses and the consequent suggestions for management action

5.Submit a copy of your adapted Simul8 model covid20.S8 along with your report