Healthcare: Human behavior in simulation models

Healthcare systems have been a popular application area for simulation modeling for more than sixty years. This chapter focuses on discrete-event simulation (DES) models in which the simulated objects in such models are human beings (usually patients), and argue that this is an area where it is very important to capture behavior. Two widely used psychological models of human health-related behavior are presented, and their relevance and applicability to DES modeling is discussed. The chapter includes two case studies which include patient behavior: a DES model of screening for diabetic retinopathy, and a microsimulation model of screening for breast cancer. The key question is: can we model patient behavior, and does behavior matter more in healthcare than other areas?.