Emergency medical systems analysis by simulation and optimization

Several works published in the medical and operational research literature demonstrate the existence of a direct relationship between the response time of rescue units and the probability of the survival of victims involved in accidents. This work presents the development of a methodology integrating the discreteevent simulation techniques and optimization procedures for medical emergency system analysis. The main components of the methodology are presented in detail and used for the evaluation of the emergency medical system of the city of Belo Horizonte in Brazil.