Long Katrina M, Meadows Graham N
Southern Synergy, Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Dandenong, Australia.
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
JMIR Res Protoc. 2018 Nov 23;7(11):e11119. doi: 10.2196/11119.
Mental health service managers must take into account multiple factors when making decisions about the best way to deliver care to clients across increasingly larger service areas. This task is made more difficult by the lack of evidence and tools historically available to inform these decisions. In recent decades, the increasing availability of epidemiological and service use data for mental illness has solved the problem of evidence, but there still exists a challenge to make these data easily accessible and understandable for managers.
This study aims to develop a simulation modeling tool to allow managers to explore various service configurations in virtual reality, enabling predictions to be made about the cost and quality of care.
This is a longitudinal, mixed-methods case study, comprising overlapping intervention and evaluation phases. In partnership with senior managers of a mental health program, the researchers will develop a series of simulation models in Arena to address key strategic issues facing the service. Thematic and content analyses of semistructured interviews, meeting observations, and document analysis will be used to evaluate the process of model implementation and the outcomes for both researchers and managers. The study is being conducted in Australia.
Data collection has been ongoing since late 2013. To date, 3 prototype simulation models have been developed and presented to senior managers, and 18 evaluation interviews have been conducted. The project is expected to conclude in late 2018.
Findings of this study have the potential to shape decision making in mental health service delivery, by providing key examples of how to integrate patient data using simulation modeling. In addition, the results will provide key insights into how researchers and consultants can effectively implement simulation modeling in real-world health care organizations.
INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR1-10.2196/11119.
心理健康服务管理者在决定如何为越来越大的服务区域内的客户提供最佳护理方式时，必须考虑多种因素。由于历史上缺乏用于为这些决策提供信息的证据和工具，这项任务变得更加困难。近几十年来，精神疾病流行病学和服务使用数据的可用性不断提高，解决了证据问题，但对于管理者来说，使这些数据易于获取和理解仍然是一个挑战。
本研究旨在开发一种模拟建模工具，使管理者能够在虚拟现实中探索各种服务配置，从而对护理成本和质量进行预测。
这是一项纵向混合方法案例研究，包括重叠的干预和评估阶段。研究人员将与一个心理健康项目的高级管理人员合作，在Arena中开发一系列模拟模型，以解决该服务面临的关键战略问题。将使用半结构化访谈、会议观察和文件分析的主题和内容分析来评估模型实施过程以及研究人员和管理人员的成果。该研究正在澳大利亚进行。
自2013年底以来一直在进行数据收集。迄今为止，已经开发了3个模拟模型原型并提交给高级管理人员，并且进行了18次评估访谈。该项目预计于2018年底结束。
本研究的结果有可能通过提供如何使用模拟建模整合患者数据的关键示例，来影响心理健康服务提供中的决策。此外，结果将提供关于研究人员和顾问如何在现实世界的医疗保健组织中有效实施模拟建模的关键见解。
国际注册报告识别号（IRRID）：RR1-10.2196/11119。
