1. Proceedings
  2. I3M
  3. 2020
  4. MAS
  5. 10.46354/i3m.2020.mas.010

Hybrid simulation modeling for analyzing the impact of RFID scrubs’ distribution in operating rooms

  • a Yasmina Maïzi , 
  • b Ygal Bendavid
  • a,b Department of Analytics, Operations and Information Technologies (AOTI) Case postale 8888, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
Cite as
Maïzi Y., Bendavid Y. (2020). Hybrid simulation modeling for analyzing the impact of RFID scrubs’ distribution in operating rooms. Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Modeling & Applied Simulation (MAS 2020), pp. 76-82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.46354/i3m.2020.mas.010

Abstract

In this research study, we propose an overview of a hybrid agent-based and discrete-event simulation model to improve medical uniforms’ (Scrubs) distribution system in hospitals located in Montreal region. This study is important since it allows the assessment of health and safety required conditions that guarantee a safe working environment for medical personnel in hospitals, and particularly vital in the current COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, it assesses operational conditions for minimizing the spread of disease due to a) uniforms’ exposure to germs and pathogens, directly related to the distribution process of these uniforms b) insufficient inventory level due to personnel’s unusual behaviors in the pandemic context, involving extended use of potentially infected uniforms due to a shortage of uniforms on distribution shelves. We propose a framework for hybrid simulation model to evaluate the impact of using an automated RFID-based scrubs distribution system in order to control, from one side, scrubs’ contamination and implicitly the contamination of any person or object in contact with employees, and from another side, scrubs’ overuse - thereby leading to an inefficient scrubs’ inventory management. This study is part of a pilot project conducted in one of the largest hospitals in the province of Quebec.

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