Coupling Game Theory and Discrete-Event Simulation for Model-Based Ambulance Dispatching

A critical part of the ambulance dispatching system for patients with acute diseases is analyzing the interactions between different stakeholders such as hospitals, patients, and healthcare authorities. Allocating medical resources becomes crucial for two main reasons typical to acute cases: 1) patients need professional facilities and 2) acute states occur unexpectedly. In this research, firstly we employed a queuing model as an analytical model to see the essential interactions between hospitals and patients and then extended this model into a hybrid model using game theory and discrete event simulation in the case of multi-hospitals scenario. The experimental settings and corresponding data were developed for Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) which is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The primary goal of our work is to develop a city-scale model for analyzing and optimizing the dynamics of ambulance dispatching in Saint Petersburg having ACS as working example of critical disease affecting modern society.