Constructing operating theatre schedules using partitioned graph colouring techniques

Area of Science:

• Operations Research
• Healthcare Management
• Computer Science

Background:

• Scheduled operations are frequently cancelled due to insufficient post-operation recovery beds.
• Operating theatre scheduling is a complex optimization problem with significant implications for hospital efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an exact optimization technique for master surgery schedules to minimize elective operation cancellations.
• To improve post-operative bed utilization and patient throughput.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a partitioned graph coloring approach for optimal master surgery schedule construction.
• Employed simulation to assess schedule robustness against stochastic patient arrivals.
• Integrated a scenario-based model to account for stochastic bed requirements.

Main Results:

• Optimized schedules increased post-operative bed utilization.
• Demonstrated a significant decrease in the number of operation cancellations.
• Simulation results indicated improved coping with patient arrival variability.

Conclusions:

• The proposed graph coloring technique effectively minimizes surgery cancellations.
• The scenario-based model enhances schedule robustness for stochastic bed demands.
• The approach can lead to reduced patient waiting times and increased hospital throughput.