Evidence mapPaperPMID 41302321Full record

ReviewHealthcare (Basel, Switzerland)2025

Combined Applications of Artificial Intelligence and Simulation for Healthcare Process Optimization: A Systematic Review.

Jaime Álvarez-Vázquez, Manuel Casal-Guisande, Alberto Fernández-García, Mar Mosteiro-Añón, María Torres-Durán, Alberto Fernández-Villar

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Jaime Álvarez-VázquezFundación Pública Galega de Investigación Biomédica Galicia Sur, Hospital Álvaro Cunqueiro, 36312 Vigo, Spain.ORCID 0009-0009-5530-8022
Manuel Casal-GuisandeNeumoVigo I+i Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), SERGAS-UVIGO, 36312 Vigo, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-1494-8145
Alberto Fernández-GarcíaDiagnostic Imaging Department, Hospital Ribera Povisa, 36211 Vigo, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-4993-4616
Mar Mosteiro-AñónNeumoVigo I+i Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), SERGAS-UVIGO, 36312 Vigo, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-0305-7179
María Torres-DuránNeumoVigo I+i Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), SERGAS-UVIGO, 36312 Vigo, Spain.ORCID 0000-0001-6710-3766
Alberto Fernández-VillarNeumoVigo I+i Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), SERGAS-UVIGO, 36312 Vigo, Spain.ORCID 0000-0001-7407-5249

Funding

Galicia Sur Health Research Institute CI24-A-03
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHealthcare systems face significant challenges due to waiting times, resource shortages, and increasing demand for services. The combination of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and simulation is emerging as a promising solution to optimise healthcare processes, although their joint application remains limited. This systematic review analyses current methodological approaches that integrate both technologies to enhance healthcare management.

methodsA systematic search was conducted in PubMed and IEEE Xplore for articles published between 2014 and 2025, following PRISMA guidelines. The search strategy included terms related to AI, simulation, and healthcare management, and was supplemented by a "snowball" search. Original studies describing combined applications of AI and simulation in healthcare processes were included.

resultsOut of 2506 records identified, 22 studies were selected for final analysis, most of which were published between 2021 and 2025, indicating growing interest in the field. The studies show that integrating AI and simulation has the potential to improve the efficiency of healthcare management, optimise resource allocation, and reduce waiting times, particularly in areas such as emergency departments and clinical pathways. Supervised learning algorithms, discrete event simulation (DES), and agent-based systems (ABS) were the most commonly used approaches.

conclusionsThe combination of AI and simulation is an emerging field with great potential to revolutionise the management of healthcare processes. However, effective implementation requires overcoming technological, standardisation, and data integration barriers, as well as expanding its application to more hospital departments to maximise its impact.

Indexed as

artificial intelligencehealthcare processhospital managementpatient flowsimulationwaiting time

Identifiers

PMID41302321
PMCPMC12652712

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.