Using expert systems for simulation modeling of patient scheduling

Modeling the scheduling of patient appointments is an important issue in si mulating a health care delivery facility. A simulation model must include t he control logic of appointment scheduling software and the explicit and im plicit decision rules used by the human scheduler in selecting an appointme nt time. Expert systems provide one way of modeling such control logic and decision rules. We describe a structure for an expert system that models pa tient appointment scheduling and the integration of such an expert system w ithin a simulation model. An example expert system for a small animal veter inary clinic is presented.