MAT009 - Healthcare Modelling Catalogue Entry
This module will introduce the student to the concepts of modelling for healthcare and will explore models for both:
• Planning and Management of Healthcare Resources
• Epidemiology and Effective Treatment of Disease
Examples of models might include those for the prevention, early detection and treatment of disease, such as HIV/AIDS, Diabetes and Asthma. Resource models would include those for the planning and management of hospital beds, operating theatres and provision of resources in outpatient clinics and critical care units.
A historical outline will be given on the use, practicalities and limitations of both deterministic and stochastic models. Differential equation models, Markov, semi-Markov and simulation techniques will be discussed and case studies on various topics presented. Students will also be introduced to the importance of health economics in conjunction with OR models, for example in providing cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness models for health policy evaluation.
Through computer lab sessions, students will be able to develop and run healthcare models of their own. The unit aims to encourage the student to consider what makes a mathematically robust, necessarily detailed and practical model for use by healthcare professionals, and how such tools can help influence health policy.
