Creation of a Geospatially Explicit, Agent-based Model of a Regional Healthcare Network with Application to Infection.

Agent-based models (ABMs) describe and simulate complex systems comprising unique agents, or individuals, while accounting for geospatial and temporal variability among dynamic processes. ABMs are increasingly used to study healthcare-associated infections (ie, infections acquired during admission to a healthcare facility), including infection, currently the most common healthcare-associated infection in the United States. The overall burden and transmission dynamics of healthcare-associated infections, including infection, may be influenced by community sources and movement of people among healthcare facilities and communities.