System dynamics in healthcare: A web-based approach

In this paper, we present a web-based healthcare simulation system which allows the real-time collection of simulation outputs and their storage in an online facility. The advantages of such a system are that it allows on-demand access to models through the web and that it enhances wider engagement in healthcare modelling through the collection of results in a centralized location. Furthermore, the web-based simulation system allows the collection of input datasets that are used in order to build different versions of a model on the web. Based on these input datasets, the users can run the web-based model and produce results that are analysed by modellers. This analysis includes the comparison of the results produced by different users in order for useful conclusions to be identified. The focus of this paper is the functionality offered by a web-based model to export results in a centralized location and the usefulness of this functionality for healthcare.