Agent-Based Model Framework for the North Carolina Modeling Infectious Diseases Program (NC MInD ABM) Overview, Design Concepts, and Details Protocol

TL;DR

This paper presents an agent-based modeling framework for simulating patient movement and healthcare facility interactions in North Carolina, designed to support disease transmission and resource management studies.

Contribution

It introduces a standardized ODD protocol for describing healthcare-focused ABMs, enabling consistent and detailed modeling of patient flows and decision processes.

Findings

Provides a detailed ABM structure for healthcare facilities

Supports disease transmission and resource allocation simulations

Facilitates evaluation of intervention strategies

Abstract

To help facilitate a variety of simulations related to healthcare facilities in North Carolina, we have developed an agent-based model (ABM) to accurately simulate patient (i.e., agent) movement to and from these facilities. This is an Overview, Design Concepts, and Details (ODD) Protocol, a standardized method for describing ABMs. This ODD provides detailed information on healthcare facilities in North Carolina, the agent movement to and between them, and any decisions that were made during the creation of this model. This ABM is intended to be used alongside disease-specific submodels. It can be used for purposes such as simulating the success of interventions on reducing disease transmission, simulating strain on facility resources (including staff and materials), and forecasting hospital capacity. Disease-specific ODDs should accompany this document. No details related to any submodels that use this ABM as a base model are included.