Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 6, 2025

Author Spotlight: Evaluating Clinicians' Adoption of Ultrasound-Guided Vascular Cannulation Through Simulation Training
Published on: August 9, 2024
The simulated patient method: Design and application in health services research
Jack C Collins1, Wei Wen Chong2, Abilio C de Almeida Neto3
1Sydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Abstract:
The simulated patient method is becoming increasingly popular in health services research to observe the behaviour of healthcare practitioners in a naturalistic setting. This method involves sending a trained individual (simulated patient among other names), who is indistinguishable from a regular consumer, into a healthcare setting with a standardised scripted request. This paper provides an overview of the method, a brief history of its use in health services research, comparisons with other methods, ethical considerations, and considerations for the development of studies using the simulated patient method in health services research, with examples from pharmacy and other fields. Methods of analysis, mixed-methods, and the use of simulated patients with feedback are also discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Bioavailability Study Design: Healthy Subjects Versus Patients
Study Designs in Epidemiology
Observational studies are those where the researcher does not intervene but rather observes natural variations. They include cross-sectional, cohort, and...
Bioequivalence Experimental Study Designs: Repeated Measures, Cross-Over, Carry-Over, and Latin Square Designs
Methods of Documentation VI: Case Management Model
For example, a patient with a chronic...
Analysis of Population Pharmacokinetic Data
Bioequivalence Experimental Study Designs: Completely Randomized and Randomized Block Designs

