Dictionary
The Dictionary provides concise definitions of health economics terms, arranged alphabetically for quick reference. Use it to understand unfamiliar terminology or confirm the meaning of a specific term.
C
- Competing EventsTermCompeting Event, Simultaneous Events
- A situation in a simulation model where several distinct events could occur next for an entity, requiring the model to determine which happens first.
D
- Discrete Event ModelConceptDES Model, Event-Sequence Model
- A simulation model representing a system as a sequence of distinct events at specific times, with the system's state changing only at each event.
- Dynamic ModelConceptDynamic Simulation Model, Feedback Model
- A model representing how a system's variables change over time in response to feedback and interaction among components, unlike a static model.
E
- EmulatorTermFast Surrogate, Trained Approximation Model
- A statistical model trained to approximate a more computationally expensive simulation model's input-output relationship, running much faster than the original.
- EventTermSimulation Occurrence, Discrete Occurrence
- A specific occurrence within a simulation model that changes the state of the system at a defined point in time.
I
- IterationTermMonte Carlo Draw, Simulation Pass
- A single completed pass through a simulation model's calculations, typically using one randomly sampled set of parameter values in probabilistic sensitivity analysis.
M
- MicrosimulationConceptMicro-Simulation, Agent-Level Simulation
- Microsimulation models individuals one at a time, allowing their characteristics and event histories to influence future outcomes.
- Model-Based EvaluationTermModel-Based Analysis, Decision-Model Evaluation
- An economic evaluation built using a mathematical or simulation model that synthesises evidence from multiple sources rather than a single study.
P
- Patient Flow ModelTermFlow Simulation Model, DES Patient-Flow Model
- A discrete event simulation or related model representing how patients move through a healthcare facility, capturing waiting times and resource bottlenecks.
R
- Run LengthTermSimulation Length, Iteration Count
- The number of iterations, or amount of simulated time, for which a simulation model runs before its results are recorded and analysed.
S
- Service ProcessTermService Activity, Entity Service Step
- The sequence of activities an entity undergoes while occupying a resource within a simulation model, along with its service time distribution.
- Simulation ModelTermSimulation-Based Model, In-Silico Model
- A model that mimics a real-world system's behaviour over time, letting analysts project outcomes under different scenarios without observing the real system.