Course Level: Intermediate
Format Requirements: The format of the class will be a lecture, with slides, interactive visual aids, and demonstrations of software for setting up problems and analyzing results. A background in object-oriented programming and advanced mathematics is desirable but not required for this course.
Background: Archimedes is a physiology-based, continuous, large-scale simulation model of diseases, populations, and healthcare systems. It is designed to span multiple diseases and operate at the level of detail of clinical and administrative decisions. It is used to support decisions for both individuals and populations. This course will describe how this type of model is formulated using object-oriented programming and how equations are derived and validated. It will cover methods for representing physiological pathways, the occurrence and progression of diseases, the development of symptoms, encounters with healthcare systems, care processes and protocols, prevention programs, tests and treatments, logistics and utilization, patient behaviors, provider behaviors, costs, and quality of life. It will also describe how the model represents information, uncertainty, and variations in practices, as well as methods for customizing the model to particular settings. Participants with appropriate training will be able to use the methods to develop similar models.
Description and Objectives: Specific objectives are to introduce concepts and methods for:
- Object oriented programming
- Representing physiological pathways
- Representing care processes and behaviors
- Deriving equations
- Validating the model
- Setting up problems for analysis
- Analyzing results
The format of the class will be a lecture, with slides, interactive visual aids, and demonstrations of software for setting up problems and analyzing results. A background in object oriented programming and advanced mathematics is desirable but not required for this course.