Complexity theory provides a common language and rubric for applying agent-based processes to a range of complex systems. Agent-based modeling advances complexity science by actuating many complex system characteristics, especially in the healthcare industry. Agent-based modeling is a computational method to understand the behavior of complex systems by simulating the actions of agents within a system, including the way that individual agents influence and are influenced by their physical and social environment. The potential benefits of this method have led to several calls for greater use in public health research.

Healthcare complexity is leading to the evolution of older systems by increasing efficiency while cutting down on costs across the healthcare industry. It has been predicted that the adoption of the agent-based model (ABM) could save the healthcare industry up to $100-$150 billion per year by 2025 in data breach-related, IT, operations, support function, and personnel costs, and reduce fraud and counterfeit products.

This Special Issue focuses on agent-based modeling in healthcare. We welcome original research and review papers from researchers working in biomedical and chemical industries, and in other areas of healthcare.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Impacts of complex system modeling techniques in essential health systems
• ABM and simulation toolkit for designing and developing in healthcare
• Challenges of modeling and developing efficient healthcare workforce planning
• Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered ABMS for complex healthcare management
• High-performance ABM simulation in real-time healthcare for quick processing and accuracy
• Real-time ABM applications for disease control and risk prevention
• Mult-agent simulation models for efficient evaluation of complex disease spreading in real-time
• AI in agent-based simulation to complex hospital management for real-time security
• Real-time monitoring and control in medical care with intelligent ABMS
• Novel genetic algorithms in agent-based modeling for complex disease diagnosing in real-time