A Method for Clustering Surgical Cases to Allow Master Surgical Scheduling

Abstract

Master surgical scheduling can improve manageability and efficiency of operating room departments. This approach cyclically executes a master surgical schedule of surgery types.These surgery types need to be constructed with low variability to be efficient. Each surgery type is scheduled based upon its frequency per cycle. Surgery types that cannot be scheduled repetitively are put together in so-called dummy surgeries. Narrow defined surgery types, with low variability, lead to a large volume of such dummy surgeries that reduce the benefits of a master surgical scheduling approach. In this paper we propose a method, based on Ward's hierarchical cluster method, to obtain surgery types that minimizes the weighted sum of the dummy surgery volume and the variability in resource demand of surgery types. The resulting surgery types (clusters) are thus based on logical features and can be used in master surgical scheduling. The approach is successfully tested on a case study in a regional hospital.

Operational research in the management of the operating theatre: a survey

“…All those surgical cases that cannot be performed are put into the so-called dummy surgeries. van Oostrum et al [60] applied a hierarchical clustering approach to real data (i.e., surgery duration and LOS) of the Beatrix Hospital (the Netherlands) allowing a volume reduction of dummy surgeries, that is the optimization of the OR utilization and a leveling of ward occupancy.…”

Aggregate capacity planning for elective surgeries: A bi-objective optimization approach to balance patients waiting with healthcare costs

“…The tactical planning is a multi-layered decision making problem starting with the identification of patient groups that need to be allocated the OR time. This study assumed that the patients' classes have already been identified but efficient methods such as cluster analyses have been identified to improve the execution of the surgery decisions (Van Oostrum et al, 2011, Dilts et al, 1995.…”

Scheduling operating rooms: achievements, challenges and pitfalls

“…This relationship is described in more detail by Schonmeyr et al [225] using queuing theory. 191,192,194,197,200,201,202,203,205,209,211,212,214,215,216,217,218,224,226,227,228,235,236,237,239,241,247,248,249,251,258,259,261,264,268,269,271,272,276,277,279,280,281,282] Integrated OR [1,2,7,10,11,12,<...>…”

“…In many articles a problem is defined that is specific to one single hospital and it is unclear 63, 64, 65, 67, 69, 70, 71, 72, 74, 77, 78, 81, 83, 85, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 100, 101, 103, 104, 107, 108, 111, 113, 114, 115, 116, 122, 123, 124, 125, 129, 130, 132, 136, 138, 139, 140, 143, 144, 146, 153, 156, 159, 160, 161, 162, 168, 169, 171, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 181, 182, 184, 185, 187, 188, 189, 190,192,194,195,197,198,200,201,202,203,204,205,206,209,211,213,216,217,222,223,225,226,227,228,235,238,240,241,242,245,246,247,248,249,251,252,253,254,258,259,260,261,263,264,…”