Table 2.

Summary of simulation methods

Study name	Simulation type	Rationale for simulation type	Model type	Simulation duration	Warm-up period	Simulation run	Simulation software
Anagnostou et al 21	DES*	Yes	Specific	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Repast Simphony
Au-Yeung et al 22	DES†	Yes	Specific	Not reported	Not reported	10	Written in Java
Baboolal et al 23	DES	Yes	Specific	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Simul8
Bowers et al 24	DES	Yes	Specific	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Brailsford et al 10	DES‡	Yes	Specific	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Simul8
Coats and Michalis25	DES	No	Specific	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Simul8
Codrington-Virtue et al 26	DES	Yes	Specific	52 weeks	Not reported	Not reported	Simul8
Codrington-Virtue et al 27	DES	Yes	Specific	24 hours	24 hours	50	Simul8
Coughlan et al 28	DES	Yes	Specific	3 weeks	Not reported	Not reported	Simul8
Davies29	DES	Yes	Specific	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Simul8
Eatock et al 11	DES	Yes	Specific	3 weeks	Not reported	20	Simul8
Fletcher et al 12	DES	Yes	Generic	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Simul8
Günal and Pidd13	DES§	Yes	Generic	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Micro Saint Sharp
Günal and Pidd30	DES¶	Yes	Generic	52 weeks	0	50	Micro Saint Sharp
Hay et al 31	DES	Yes	Specific	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Arena
Komashie and Mousavi32	DES	Yes	Specific	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Arena
Lane et al 33	SD**	Yes	Specific	24 hours	Not reported	6	iThink
Lattimer et al 14	SD††	Yes	Specific	52 weeks	Not reported	Not reported	Stella
Maull et al 34	DES	Yes	Specific	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Meng and Spedding35	DES	Yes	Specific	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	MedModel
Mould et al 36	DES‡‡	Yes	Specific	3 months	24 hours	Not reported	Simul8

*The authors used an agent-based simulation approach to model the ambulance service, but modelled the ED through a DES. These two individual models were then linked together to form a hybrid emergency services model.

†The authors used a Markovian queuing network, but computed the moments and densities of patient treatment time through a DES.

‡The authors used an SD model as part of a bigger picture, but modelled the ED through a DES.

§The authors used their ED model elsewhere³⁷ to form a whole hospital DES model consisting of two other departments: inpatient and outpatient clinics.

¶The authors used their ED model elsewhere³⁸ to form a whole hospital DES model consisting of three other components: inpatient bed management, waiting list management and outpatient clinics.

**The authors used their ED model elsewhere³⁹ to explore the issues that arise when involving healthcare professionals in the process of model building.

^††The authors constructed the ED as a separate submodel which was not detailed in the paper. However, we believe this ED submodel¹⁴ is identical to the ED model reported in another included study.¹⁰

^‡‡The authors used their ED model elsewhere⁴⁰ to illustrate the role of care pathways to the redesign of healthcare systems.

DES, discrete event simulation; ED, emergency department; SD, system dyamics.