title: An optimization based on simulation approach to the patient admission scheduling problem using a linear programing algorithm.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As patient's length of stay in waiting lists increases, governments are looking for strategies to control the problem. Agreements were created with private providers to diminish the workload in the public sector. However, the growth of the private sector is not following the demand for care. Given this context, new management strategies have to be considered in order to minimize patient length of stay in waiting lists while reducing the costs and increasing (or at least maintaining) the quality of care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Appointment scheduling systems are today known to be proficient in the optimization of health care services. Their utilization is focused on increasing the usage of human resources, medical equipment and reducing the patient waiting times. In this paper, a simulation-based optimization approach to the Patient Admission Scheduling Problem is presented. Modeling tools and simulation techniques are used in the optimization of a diagnostic imaging department.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proposed techniques have demonstrated to be effective in the evaluation of diagnostic imaging workflows. A simulated annealing algorithm was used to optimize the patient admission sequence towards minimizing the total completion and total waiting of patients. The obtained results showed average reductions of 5% on the total completion and 38% on the patients' total waiting time.
authors.affiliation: LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Portugal; Norwegian Centre for Integrated Care and Telemedicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Norway; Siemens S.A. Healthcare Sector, Portugal.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Granja
authors.affiliation: INESC-TEC, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Almada-Lobo
authors.affiliation: Siemens S.A. Healthcare Sector, Portugal.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Janela
authors.affiliation: Siemens S.A. Healthcare Sector, Portugal.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seabra
authors.affiliation: LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: mendes@fe.up.pt.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mendes
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057188:Workflow
keywords: Diagnostic imaging; Organizational case studies; Patient admission; Personnel staffing and scheduling; Process assessment; Workflow