Participatory agent-based modelling in healthcare: a domain-specific modelling language approach

Management of infectious diseases is a critical issue in hospital emergency departments (ED). Participatory agent-based modelling (ABM) is an effective method of capturing and evaluating potential infection control interventions without incurring real-world costs. However, typical participatory modelling approaches use general-purpose programming languages or technically complex agent-oriented DSMLs during implementation. These languages are often inaccessible to ED staff, making communication difficult during domain analysis and reducing the traceability of model design. We argue that high-abstraction domain-specific modelling languages (DSMLs) can help improve the accessibility of ABM development to ED stakeholders, allowing them to engage more effectively in model design and experimentation. Rather than developing a DSML at the platform-level (i.e. using ABM concepts) we present a DSML that uses a highly-abstract domain-level syntax, specific to the ED domain. We present the current iteration of this DSML, and the vision for a participatory modelling methodology to be used during model and DSML development. We discuss ongoing modelling case studies in collaboration with St Thomas' Hospital in London and present an initial DSML empirical evaluation.