Modelling in Healthcare

How many patients will require admission to my hospital in two days? How widespread will influenza be in my community in two weeks? What will the changing demographics of our community do to affect demand for medical services in our region in two years? These and similar questions are the province of Modelling in Healthcare. This new volume, presented by the Complex Systems Modelling Group at Simon Fraser University in Canada, uses plain language, sophisticated mathematics and vivid examples to guide and instruct. Sage advice on the benefits and limitations of the modeling process and model predictions is generously distributed so that the reader comes away with an understanding not only of the process but also on the practical uses (and misuses!) of models. Perhaps the most important aspect of this book is that the content and the logic are readily understandable by modelers, administrators and clinicians alike. This volume will surely serve as their common and thus preferred reference for modeling in healthcare for many years. --Timothy G. Buchman, Ph.D., M.D., FACS, FCCM