In this paper, we consider physician scheduling problems originating from a medical staff scheduling service provider based in the United States. Creating a physician schedule is a complex task. An optimal schedule must balance a number of goals including adequately staffing required assignments for quality patient care, adhering to a unique set of rules that depend on hospital and medical specialties, and maintaining a work-life balance for physicians. We study various types of physician and hospital requirements with different priorities, including equalization constraints to ensure that each provider will receive approximately the same number of a specified shift over a given time period. A major challenge involves ensuring an equal distribution of workload among physicians, with the end goal of producing a schedule that will be perceived by physicians as fair while still meeting all other requirements for the group. As the number of such equalization constraints increases, the physician scheduling optimization problem becomes more complex and it requires more time to find an optimal schedule. We begin by constructing mathematical models to formulate the problem requirements, and then demonstrate the benefits of a polyhedral study on a relaxation of the physician scheduling problem that includes equalization constraints. A branch-and-cut algorithm using valid inequalities derived from the relaxation problem shows that the quality of the schedules with respect to the soft constraints is notably better. An example problem from a hospitalist department is discussed in detail, and improvements for other schedules representing different specialties are also presented.

To help address the need for manufacturing cycle time reduction, Intel has adopted an integrated operations management approach that consists of three key components: targeting, near real-time scheduling, and dispatching. These components work in conjunction to maximize fab efficiency. Combined with fully automated execution, this approach allows Intel to implement a coordinated operational management philosophy at its fabrication facilities. OPSched was developed at Intel to fulfill the requirements of the integrated approach. We look at why this approach is suitable for automated semiconductor manufacturing based on the implementation of the OPSched system at Intel's high-volume manufacturing facilities and the results achieved.

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time that can be spent on leaming the new processes. A Evaluation of fab performance during the ramp-up phase is important since sufficient time should be allowed to develop processes with the designed specifications while productivity has to be maintained at a desired level to meet the ramp schedule. Setting targets for production in such an environment is an important task. Daily production targets help answer the question of whether the fab is performing as well as it should be, given the operating conditions. In this paper, we address the issue of calculating productivity and WIP targets to measure production performance given the fact that the fab is in a ramp mode. Since historical data and reliable bencbmarks are not currently available to compare 3 0 0 " fab performance measures, we developed a method for setting production targets. This paper describes the fab performance measuresproductivity, work in process m) and cycle timebeing used to track progress, a methodology to set targets for these measures and the implementation of the methodology using the advanced real time vacking and reporting tools available. The methodology developed is general enough that it can be used to set production targets in fabs which are not in the ramp-up phase.

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