title: Visualizing the demand for various resources as a function of the master surgery schedule: a case study.
abstract: This paper presents a software system that visualizes the impact of the master surgery schedule on the demand for various resources throughout the rest of the hospital. The master surgery schedule can be seen as the engine that drives the hospital. Therefore, it is very important for decision makers to have a clear image on how the demand for resources is linked to the surgery schedule. The software presented in this paper enables schedulers to instantaneously view the impact of, e.g., an exchange of two block assignments in the master surgery schedule on the expected resource consumption pattern. A case study entailing a large Belgian surgery unit illustrates how the software can be used to assist in building better surgery schedules.
authors.affiliation: Department DSIM: Decision Sciences & Information Management, Research Center for Operations Management, Faculty of Economics and Applied Economics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Naamsestraat 69, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. jeroen.belien@econ.kuleuven.be
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beliën
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Demeulemeester
authors.forename: Brecht
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cardoen
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D008421:Materials Management, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D012984:Software; D013503:Surgery Department, Hospital