Table Of ContentMulti-Agent Systems for
Healthcare Simulation
and Modeling:
Applications for System
Improvement
Raman Paranjape
University of Regina, Canada
Asha Sadanand
University of Guelph, Canada
Medical inforMation science reference
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Multi-agent systems for healthcare simulation and modeling : applications for
system improvement / Raman Paranjape and Asha Sadanand, editors.
p. ; cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Summary: "This book provides theoretical frameworks and the latest empirical
research findings used by medical professionals in the implementation of
multi-agent systems"--Provided by publisher.
ISBN 978-1-60566-772-0 (hardcover)
1. Artificial intelligence--Medical applications. 2. Intelligent agents
(Computer software) I. Paranjape, Raman. II. Sadanand, Asha.
[DNLM: 1. Delivery of Health Care--methods. 2. Models, Theoretical. 3.
Systems Theory. W 84.1 M961 2010]
R859.7.A78M85 2010
610.285'63--dc22
2009021413
British Cataloguing in Publication Data
A Cataloguing in Publication record for this book is available from the British Library.
All work contributed to this book is new, previously-unpublished material. The views expressed in this book are those of the
authors, but not necessarily of the publisher.
Editorial Advisory Board
Giancarlo Succi, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, Italy
Robert Martens, SaskTel Inc, Canada
Yan Yang, NetSecure Technologies Ltd., Canada
Craig Gelowitz, TRLabs Inc., Canada
Stephen O’Leary, University of British Columbia, Canada
Mehran Mehrandezh, University of Regina, Canada
List of Reviewers
Asha Sadanand, University of Guelph, Canada
Maja Hadzic, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia
Darshan Dillon, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia
Georgiy Bobashev, RTI International, USA
Andrei Borshchev, XJ Technologies, Russian Federeation
David Isern, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Spain
Antonio Moreno, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Spain
Luigi Benedicenti, University of Regina, Canada
Vijay Kumar Mago, DAV College, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
Kin Lik Wang, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, USA
Nancy E. Reed, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, USA
Dale S. Vincent, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, USA
Qingjin Peng, University of Manitoba, Canada
V. Sadanand, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Dean Yergens, University of Manitoba, Canada
Xiaoqin (Shelley) Zhang, University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, USA
Simerjit Gill, University of Regina, TRLabs, Canada
Raman Paranjape, University of Regina, TRLabs, Canada
Table of Contents
Foreword .............................................................................................................................................xii
Preface ................................................................................................................................................xiv
Acknowledgment ................................................................................................................................xvi
Section 1
Overview of Healthcare System Issues
Chapter 1
Current Practices in Select Healthcare Systems .....................................................................................1
Venkat Sadanand, University of Saskatchewan, Canada
Chapter 2
Economic Efficiency and the Canadian Health Care System ...............................................................13
Asha B. Sadanand, University of Guelph, Canada
Chapter 3
A Review of Recent Contribution in Agent Based Health Care Modeling ...........................................26
Simerjit Gill, University of Regina, Canada & TRLabs Regina, Canada
Raman Paranjape, University of Regina, Canada & TRLabs Regina, Canada
Section 2
Healthcare Modeling Systems
Chapter 4
Agency in Health Care System Modeling and Analysis .......................................................................45
Raman Paranjape, University of Regina, Canada & TRLabs Regina, Canada
Simerjit Gill, University of Regina, Canada & TRLabs Regina, Canada
Chapter 5
Operating Room Simulation and Agent-Based Optimization ...............................................................69
Q. Peng, University of Manitoba, Canada
Q. Niu, University of Manitoba, Canada
Y. Xie, University of Manitoba, Canada
T. ElMekkawy, University of Manitoba, Canada
Chapter 6
Building a Health Care Multi-Agent Simulation System with Role-Based Modeling .........................90
Xiaoqin Zhang, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, USA
Haiping Xu, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, USA
Bhavesh Shrestha, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, USA
Section 3
Physician/Patient Support Systems
Chapter 7
HeCaSe2: A Multi-Agent System that Automates the Application of Clinical Guidelines ................113
David Isern, University Rovira i Virgili, Italy
Antonio Moreno, University Rovira i Virgili, Italy
Chapter 8
An Agent-Based Modeling System for Wellness ................................................................................137
Luigi Benedicenti, University of Regina, Canada
Chitsutha Soomlek, University of Regina, Canada
Chapter 9
Using Probabilistic Neural Network to Select a Medical Specialist Agent ........................................164
Vijay Kumar Mago, DAV College, India
M. Syamala Devi, Panjab University, India
Ajay Bhatia, CTIM&IT, India
Ravinder Mehta, Mehta Childcare Center, India
Chapter 10
A Multi-Agent Simulation of Kidney Function for Medical Education .............................................178
Kin Lik Wang, University of Hawaii, USA
Nancy E. Reed, University of Hawaii, USA
Dale S. Vincent, University of Hawaii, USA
Section 4
Population Modeling Systems
Chapter 11
Role of Multi-Agents System in Creation of Collaborative Environments within Mental
Health Domain ....................................................................................................................................196
Maja Hadzic, Curtin University of Technology, Australia
Darshan S. Dillon, Curtin University of Technology, Australia
Chapter 12
Multi-Agent Systems in Developing Countries ..................................................................................215
Dean Yergens, University of Manitoba, Canada, and University of Calgary, Canada
Julie Hiner, University of Calgary, Canada
Jörg Denzinger, University of Calgary, Canada
Chapter 13
Projecting Health Care Factors into Future Outcomes with Agent-Based Modeling .........................234
Georgiy Bobashev, RTI International, Russia
Andrei Borshchev, XJ Technologies, Russia
Compilation of References ..............................................................................................................257
About the Contributors ...................................................................................................................276
Index ...................................................................................................................................................282
Detailed Table of Contents
Foreword .............................................................................................................................................xii
Preface ................................................................................................................................................xiv
Acknowledgment ................................................................................................................................xvi
Section 1
Overview of Healthcare System Issues
Chapter 1
Current Practices in Select Healthcare Systems .....................................................................................1
Venkat Sadanand, University of Saskatchewan, Canada
This chapter reviews the current practices of healthcare delivery in three economically advanced countries
namely Canada, U.S.A., and U.K. The review shows that medico-legal and technological prowess may
not translate into a healthier life and better healthcare delivery. The chapter argues that poor allocation of
ample resources is tantamount to resource insufficiency and cites anonymous but true cases of patients
to illustrate the salient points.
Chapter 2
Economic Efficiency and the Canadian Health Care System ...............................................................13
Asha B. Sadanand, University of Guelph, Canada
This chapter examines the compatibility of the objectives of universality and public funding which
are two important pillars of the Canadian health care system, with the objectives of cost effectiveness
and more generally economic efficiency. Author recommends a market-based mechanism that utilizes
mobile agents representing patients and their medical needs. The agents participates in virtual auctions
using a needs based ranking as the currency for making bids in order to incorporate the basic goals of
universality and public funding.
Chapter 3
A Review of Recent Contribution in Agent Based Health Care Modeling ...........................................26
Simerjit Gill, University of Regina, Canada & TRLabs Regina, Canada
Raman Paranjape, University of Regina, Canada & TRLabs Regina, Canada
This chapter reviews and summarizes eight selected paper in the area of agent-based healthcare systems.
The objective of the summaries is to provide an overview of recent research work in the area and to
examine the characteristics of agent-based healthcare applications. The chapter also briefly discusses
reasons for adopting agent-based simulation and modeling over traditional modeling techniques.
Section 2
Healthcare Modeling Systems
Chapter 4
Agency in Health Care System Modeling and Analysis .......................................................................45
Raman Paranjape, University of Regina, Canada & TRLabs Regina, Canada
Simerjit Gill, University of Regina, Canada & TRLabs Regina, Canada
This chapter examines the paradigm that a health care system’s behavior may be examined using an
agent simulation in order to illuminate its macroscopic characteristics and the effects of policy on its over
all operation. Authors propose the development of a health care system model in which agents mimic
the behavior of the key components of the system. These components interact and engage each other
in a manor analogous to the operation of the health care system. This chapter present results from the
development of a diabetic patient agent model, the development of an agent-based neurosurgery ward
bed allocation system, and the development of an agent-based scheduling system that may be used to
allocate resources within the health care system.
Chapter 5
Operating Room Simulation and Agent-Based Optimization ...............................................................69
Q. Peng, University of Manitoba, Canada
Q. Niu, University of Manitoba, Canada
Y. Xie, University of Manitoba, Canada
T. ElMekkawy, University of Manitoba, Canada
This chapter introduces the method of using simulation and agent-based technologies to enable a better
understanding of the patient flow to improve the process performance in healthcare. The proposed method
is used to identify the existing problem and to evaluate proposed solutions for the problem of the operat-
ing room (OR) at Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre. The chapter identifies issues including patient flows,
operation schedules, demand and capacity of the system and the configuration of resources required. An
optimum scheduling is proposed for the OR operation to shorten the patient waiting time.
Chapter 6
Building a Health Care Multi-Agent Simulation System With Role-Based Modeling ........................90
Xiaoqin Zhang, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, USA
Haiping Xu, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, USA
Bhavesh Shrestha, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, USA
This chapter presents an integrated approach for modeling, designing and implementing a multi-agent
health care simulation system using Role-based Agent Development Environment (RADE). The chap-
ter describes the definition of role classes and agent classes, as well as the automatic agent generation
process and also illustrate the coordination problem and present a rule-based coordination approach.
In the end, the chapter presents present a runtime scenario of this health care simulation system, which
demonstrates that dynamic task allocation can be achieved through the creation of role instances and
the mapping from role instances to agents.
Section 3
Physician/Patient Support Systems
Chapter 7
HeCaSe2: A Multi-Agent System that Automates the Application of Clinical Guidelines ................113
David Isern, University Rovira i Virgili, Italy
Antonio Moreno, University Rovira i Virgili, Italy
This chapter focuses on the execution of Clinical guidelines (CGs) and describes the design and imple-
mentation of an agent-based platform in which the actors involved in health care coordinate their activi-
ties to perform the complex task of guideline enactment.
Chapter 8
An Agent-Based Modeling System for Wellness ................................................................................137
Luigi Benedicenti, University of Regina, Canada
Chitsutha Soomlek, University of Regina, Canada
This chapter introduces an agent-based wellness visualization system. The visualization system integrates
and analyzes health information collected from existing portable health monitoring devices, users, and
other existing health information resources. Authors propose that using the visualization system the
individual will have a better understanding in personal wellness and will be encouraged to be aware of
both personal and public’s health. The chapter shows initial results that indicate that the proof of concept
of the research will provide direct benefits to the public, research communities, and enterprises.
Chapter 9
Using Probabilistic Neural Network to Select a Medical Specialist Agent ........................................164
Vijay Kumar Mago, DAV College, India
M. Syamala Devi, Panjab University, India
Ajay Bhatia, CTIM&IT, India
Ravinder Mehta, Mehta Childcare Center, India
This chapter presents a novel approach of applying Probabilistic Neural Network (PNN) to classify the
childhood disease and their respective medical specialist. The system presented in this chapter imitates
the behavior of a pediatrician while selecting super specialist doctor. The aim of this chapter is to design
the Multi-agent system, in which the software agents interact with each other to diagnose a disease and
decide the treatment plan(s).
Description:The modeling of healthcare components and systems in order to develop a complete understanding of component interactions is one of the more challenging simulation and modeling problems for software agent systems. Multi-Agent Systems for Healthcare Simulation and Modeling: Applications for System Imp