An Agent-Based Modeling and Virtual Reality Application Using Distributed Simulation: Case of a COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit

Hospitals and other healthcare settings use various simulation methods to improve their operations, management, training. The COVID-19 pandemic, with the resulting necessity for rapid remote assessment, has highlighted critical role of modeling in healthcare, particularly distributed (DS). DS enables integration heterogeneous simulations further increase usability effectiveness individual simulations. This article presents a system that integrates two different developed hospital intensive care unit (ICU) ward dedicated patients. AnyLogic been used develop model ICU using agent-based discrete event methods. depicts measures physical contacts between providers Unity platform utilized virtual reality environment operations. high-level architecture, an IEEE standard DS, build cloud-based by integrating synchronizing platforms. While enhancing capabilities both simulations, can be training purposes assessment managerial operational decisions minimize disease transmission enabling data exchange