{"title":"A novel and efficient real-time sequencing strategy for appointment scheduling with unpunctual patients","authors":"","doi":"10.1007/s10951-023-00802-9","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Abstract</h3> <p>No-shows and non-punctual appointments have always been uncertain factors faced by managers of service-oriented enterprises and institutions, which usually lead to a low utilization rate of resources and a rapid decline in service satisfaction. Taking clinics as an example, this paper proposes a novel and efficient real-time sequencing strategy to minimize the cost associated with patient waiting time, provider idle time and overtime considering no-shows and unpunctuality. Four types of patient waiting time are considered for the first time, based on which the developed real-time sequencing strategy is used for scheduling the waiting patients when the provider becomes idle. Then, a biased random-key genetic algorithm is adopted to determine the number of patients on appointment slots and the length of each appointment slot. Extensive computational experiments show that the derived real-time sequencing strategy achieves a significant cost reduction compared with the famous FCFS (first come first served) and the state-of-art LAR (the larger of appointment time and real arrival time) rules.</p>","PeriodicalId":50061,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Scheduling","volume":"134 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4000,"publicationDate":"2024-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Scheduling","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10951-023-00802-9","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, MANUFACTURING","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
No-shows and non-punctual appointments have always been uncertain factors faced by managers of service-oriented enterprises and institutions, which usually lead to a low utilization rate of resources and a rapid decline in service satisfaction. Taking clinics as an example, this paper proposes a novel and efficient real-time sequencing strategy to minimize the cost associated with patient waiting time, provider idle time and overtime considering no-shows and unpunctuality. Four types of patient waiting time are considered for the first time, based on which the developed real-time sequencing strategy is used for scheduling the waiting patients when the provider becomes idle. Then, a biased random-key genetic algorithm is adopted to determine the number of patients on appointment slots and the length of each appointment slot. Extensive computational experiments show that the derived real-time sequencing strategy achieves a significant cost reduction compared with the famous FCFS (first come first served) and the state-of-art LAR (the larger of appointment time and real arrival time) rules.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Scheduling provides a recognized global forum for the publication of all forms of scheduling research. First published in June 1998, Journal of Scheduling covers advances in scheduling research, such as the latest techniques, applications, theoretical issues and novel approaches to problems. The journal is of direct relevance to the areas of Computer Science, Discrete Mathematics, Operational Research, Engineering, Management, Artificial Intelligence, Construction, Distribution, Manufacturing, Transport, Aerospace and Retail and Service Industries. These disciplines face complex scheduling needs and all stand to gain from advances in scheduling technology and understanding.