title: Online stochastic optimization of radiotherapy patient scheduling.
abstract: The effective management of a cancer treatment facility for radiation therapy depends mainly on optimizing the use of the linear accelerators. In this project, we schedule patients on these machines taking into account their priority for treatment, the maximum waiting time before the first treatment, and the treatment duration. We collaborate with the Centre Intégré de Cancérologie de Laval to determine the best scheduling policy. Furthermore, we integrate the uncertainty related to the arrival of patients at the center. We develop a hybrid method combining stochastic optimization and online optimization to better meet the needs of central planning. We use information on the future arrivals of patients to provide an accurate picture of the expected utilization of resources. Results based on real data show that our method outperforms the policies typically used in treatment centers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematical and Industrial Engineering, CIRRELT and Polytechnique Montréal, C.P. 6079, Succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, QC, Canada, H3C 3A7, antoine.legrain@polymtl.ca.
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Legrain
authors.forename: Marie-Andrée
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fortin
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lahrichi
authors.forename: Louis-Martin
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Rousseau
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D002170:Canada; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006801:Humans; D009684:Nuclear Medicine Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009862:Online Systems; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010315:Particle Accelerators; D010934:Planning Techniques; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care; D011878:Radiotherapy; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D013997:Time Factors; D035501:Uncertainty; D014850:Waiting Lists