Let A=(a0,a1,...,ak) denote a finite collection of ordered transient states traversed by an individual on study for a specific period of time. In medical studies, the initial state a0 often corresponds to an initial disease-free state, while states ar (r =1, 2,…,k) would represent repeated non-fatal events of the same type (see, MacKenzie (1997), “On a non-proportional hazards regression model for ...