Hybrid Simulation in Healthcare: A Review of the Literature

The use of Hybrid Simulation (HS) increased as problems have become more complex and multidimensional, with a particular focus on healthcare systems. Such complexities make it challenging for single simulation models to provide the right support for decision-making. This article reports on a preliminary review of the literature and investigates the prevalence and utilization of HS in healthcare. Thirty-three relevant papers were found in the literature, including application papers, frameworks, and review papers. Our review categorizes the M&S techniques employed and analyses the application type, software packages, trends, opportunities, and challenges of HS in healthcare. Findings show that combining Discrete Event Simulation and System Dynamics is the most common approach to developing HS models in healthcare. However, the popularity of combining Agent-Based Simulation with others is on the rise. Current limitations of the literature and opportunities for future research are discussed.