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Operation room scheduling — the assignment of patients to time-slots, surgeons and operation rooms — is considered by hospitals to be a difficult task. But why and what can be done about this? This thesis tackles these questions and attempts to increase the efficiency of this scheduling process.
Approach
Firstly, research conducted in cooperation with a sample hospital and business consultants from the Dutch healthcare institutions was reviewed, clarifying where difficulties arise and how scheduling can be improved. The next task was to develop a suitable mathematical model. Given the complexity of the problem — caused by length of the waiting list, restricted opening hours of the operation room and restricted numbers of rooms, amongst other factors – it was decided to apply column generation to solve the problem formulation.
Results
The model generated schedules which were demonstrably more efficient than the existing operation room schedule. For instance, schedules now include a larger number of high-priority patients than before and a greater variation in treatments, which has been welcomed by hospital management.
Careers Students
Operation room scheduling
Operation room scheduling — the assignment of patients to time-slots, surgeons and operation rooms — is considered by hospitals to be a difficult task. But why and what can be done about this? This thesis tackles these questions and attempts to increase the efficiency of this scheduling process.
Approach
Firstly, research conducted in cooperation with a sample hospital and business consultants from the Dutch healthcare institutions was reviewed, clarifying where difficulties arise and how scheduling can be improved. The next task was to develop a suitable mathematical model. Given the complexity of the problem — caused by length of the waiting list, restricted opening hours of the operation room and restricted numbers of rooms, amongst other factors – it was decided to apply column generation to solve the problem formulation.
Results
The model generated schedules which were demonstrably more efficient than the existing operation room schedule. For instance, schedules now include a larger number of high-priority patients than before and a greater variation in treatments, which has been welcomed by hospital management.