Multi-objective Robust Stochastic Planning and Scheduling of Healthcare Service Providers

Northwestern University, Evanston IL

Investigators

Abstract

This grant provides funding for developing novel models and methods for planning, scheduling, staffing, and assignment (PSSA) problems that have multiple objectives and are unpredictable because of future uncertainty. Such problems arise frequently in the healthcare industry, which would be the focus application area. Examples of multiple, often competing, objectives are: patient safety and satisfaction, cost of service, continuity of care, educational goals of the residents, and staff satisfaction. Examples of uncertainty are patient workload and service times. Realistic mathematical models will be developed for such problems for healthcare professionals incorporating the unique features of this setting. A particular focus will be on medical resident scheduling. Computational methods will be developed for solving these models. In particular, heuristic methods will be developed for quickly identifying good candidate solutions for such problems. These methods will be tested on realistic data from the healthcare setting. If successful, the results of this research will enable healthcare providers to improve work flow and to make utilize the skills of the provider's medical staff. Improved training schedules of medical school residents would be possible, while meeting their residency requirements. Patient satisfaction will improve as continuity of care is enhanced. The computational methods developed for solving problems arising in healthcare will also be useful for stochastic multi-objective integer programming models arising in a wide variety of application areas including production planning, supply chain management and vehicle.