gems: AnRPackage for Simulating from Disease Progression Models

• DOI: 10.18637/jss.v064.i10
• Publication Date: 2015-09-21T20:30:55Z
• Authors: Nello Blaser; Luisa Salazar Viz...; Janne Estill; Cindy Zahnd; Bindu Kalesan; Matthias Egger; Olivia Keiser; Thomas Gsponer
• Keywords: R package

Mathematical models of disease progression predict outcomes and are useful epidemiological tools for planners evaluators health interventions. The 햱 package gems is a tool that simulates in patients predicts the effect different interventions on patient outcome. Disease represented by series events (e.g., diagnosis, treatment death), displayed directed acyclic graph. vertices correspond to states edges represent events. allows simulations based generalized multistate model can be described graph with continuous transition-specific hazard functions. user specify an arbitrary function its parameters. includes parameter uncertainty, does not need Markov model, may take history previous into account. Applications limited medical field extend other areas where simulation interest. We provide technical explanation used gems, explain functions their arguments, show sample application.