Simulation in the Hospital Setting: Implications for Managerial Decision Making and Management Development

Simulation is a powerful analytical technique that plays a role in the development of managers′ problem‐solving and decision‐making skills as well as those skills related to effecting organisational change and dealing with the dynamics of organisational behaviour. An overview is presented of simulation in the health services setting. Two specific hospital simulation applications concerning the design of a same‐day surgery unit and the reallocation of beds among services are described. Each examines the impact on managerial skills and how simulation enhanced those skills. Finally, the implications of using simulation as a strategy for management development are discussed.