A three-phase approach for operating theatre schedules.

Area of Science:

• Operations Research
• Healthcare Management
• Hospital Administration

Background:

• Inefficient operating room scheduling leads to increased overtime, reduced throughput, and longer patient waiting lists.
• Effective surgical activity planning is crucial for improving hospital efficiency and patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement a three-phase, hierarchical approach for weekly operating room scheduling.
• To enhance operating theatre efficiency, reduce overtime, decrease waiting lists, and improve department organization.

Main Methods:

• A three-phase approach: 1) Bin packing-like problem to determine weekly sessions per ward using a priority score. 2) Blocked booking for Master Surgical Schedule (MSS) assignment. 3) Simulation using Witness 2004 to analyze sequencing strategies (LWT, LPT, SPT).

Main Results:

• The implemented approach demonstrated potential for improving operating theatre efficiency and reducing waiting lists.
• Simulation analysis identified optimal sequencing strategies for surgical activities based on different priority criteria.

Conclusions:

• The proposed hierarchical scheduling approach offers an integrated solution for surgical activity planning.
• The methodology provides a framework for optimizing operating room utilization and enhancing healthcare delivery.