Patient flow & resource simulation
Set up, run, and review this analysis in Lifescio.
Supported analysis
Define stations, their service rates, capacities and next-station IDs; 0 discharges a patient. Exponential arrivals and service times feed FIFO queues. Independent replications compare baseline capacity with a multiplied-capacity scenario after a warm-up period.
Supported scope: The workflow assumes exponential timing, FIFO service and fixed routing. Priorities, appointment schedules, staff shifts and detailed patient histories are not represented. Use consistent hourly rates and assess whether the horizon and warm-up are adequate.
Prepare data and configure the analysis
Enter Resource stations with distinct positive integer IDs, server counts, mean service minutes, and next-station IDs. The first row is the entry station. Every station must lie on one acyclic route; next station 0 means discharge. Use 1–100 servers per station.
Arrivals per hour and arrival/warm-up horizons use hours, while service times use minutes. Warm-up must be shorter than the arrival horizon. Comparison capacity multiplier applies to every station's server count, rounded up to an integer. Replications share arrival/service streams between current and expanded-capacity scenarios.
Input reference (6 fields)
Enter your data and prespecified choices. Ranges include both limits. For table fields, use cell editing, Paste data, or Import CSV / TSV. Review whether the first imported row contains headings and map the source columns before applying the import. Empty numeric cells are not treated as zero. Open file is for an exported Lifescio analysis JSON file, not a spreadsheet.
| Input | Format | Allowed range | Guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resource stations | Table | — | Next station 0 discharges; positive IDs route to another station. Each station has its own resource pool. Columns in order: Station; Servers; Mean service minutes; Next station. |
| Arrivals per hour | Number | 0.01–1000 | — |
| Arrival horizon (hours) | Number | 1–1000 | — |
| Warm-up duration (hours) | Number | 0–999 | — |
| Replications | Whole number | 20–500 | — |
| Comparison capacity multiplier | Number | 1–5 | — |
Run and review
- Give the analysis a descriptive name and review every example value. Record units, data preparation, and planning assumptions in Reproducibility & notes. For simulations, record the seed and replication or sampling settings.
- Choose Run analysis. Resolve input errors before interpreting output. In the connected app, a run uses a saved input revision; local preview runs need the page to stay open.
- Review Diagnostics for method limitations, warnings, and available numerical checks. A completed run means computation finished; it does not establish that the assumptions fit your study.
- Use the Result table selector to inspect each output. Editing inputs does not recalculate existing results: an earlier-input notice means you need to run again to obtain matching results.
Understand the outputs
Replication summaries reports queue wait, time in system, and arrivals after warm-up, with Monte Carlo intervals across replications. Arrivals stop at the horizon, but those patients are followed to discharge; patient times can therefore extend beyond the horizon.
Resources reports utilization, average queue length, and average replication peak queue within the observation window. Paired capacity comparison reports expanded-minus-current waiting time using paired replications. A negative difference favors expanded capacity. These intervals describe simulation precision under fixed assumptions.
Troubleshooting and common mistakes
A route error means a missing next-station ID, cycle, or unreachable station. Check the first row and discharge code. If no post-warm-up arrivals occur, reconsider arrival rate and observation length; an almost empty observation window cannot support useful summaries.
For a run-budget error, reduce replication workload or simplify the modeled system without silently changing the question. This workflow has exponential times, first-in-first-out queues, and fixed routing; it does not support priority classes, appointment schedules, shifts, or branching patient paths.
After correcting inputs, run again and check that the results belong to the new input snapshot. Increasing simulation draws improves numerical precision only; it does not repair invalid data or an unsuitable model.
Save, compare, and export
In the connected app, Save analysis retains the inputs in your account. Run history lets you inspect earlier runs, each with the input revision it used. In local preview, Save analysis downloads an input file instead; download results before leaving the page.
Use Result + inputs for a JSON archive containing the completed result and its inputs, Download CSV for the selected result table, PDF report for a report, and a chart's SVG button for its figure. Table displays round to three decimals; CSV and JSON exports retain calculation precision. Use those values when assessing a result near a decision boundary.
To reopen an archive, select the matching analysis method and choose Open file. Imported inputs start a new draft; a result archive can also display its retained result. It does not attach itself to an existing account analysis or recompute the result. Save or run the imported draft when you want a new account record.