DES models have the further advantage that they can consider resources and resource constraints.
For example, typical cohort models ignore capacity constraints and assume resources can simply be
increased. As such these models are ideal for modelling bottlenecks in the system or what might be the
implications of increasing health care use beyond capacity (e.g. emergency room visits, surgical suite
use). DES models are typically used to model wait times and queuing patterns. For example, the study
by Lim M et al [30] provides a good example of a DES. In this study, the authors sought to call decisionmakers’
attention on the importance of accurately modelling physician interactions and roles in which
they provide care to patients. The study showed that ignoring constraints and interactions could
significantly underestimate estimates of physician time utilization.