This review aims to clearly explore how Discrete Event Simulation (DES) has been used to optimize resource utilization and reduce patients wait times in a healthcare general, and more specifically, with a focus on patients’ care. This review integrates all the present studies in which DES has applied to simulate various healthcare activities, analyze the existing constraints, and optimize performance. The findings suggest that DES is a useful mechanism for healthcare managers to leverage for decision making purposes in relation to distributing resources, on the flow of patients and optimizing services. The review demonstrates that DES can be used in emergency departments, outpatient clinics, and different integrated systems of healthcare. Nevertheless, pointed issues like poor quality data, increased model complexity and certain level of implementation barriers were discerned. This review provides suggestions for further research direction and potential application of DES in the health care industry.