Multiple criteria mixed-integer programming for incorporating multiple factors into the development of master operating theatre timetables

Operating theatres and surgeons are among the most expensive resources in any hospital, so it is vital that they are used efficiently. Many European hospitals implement block scheduling, where each surgeon is assigned blocks of time in specific operating theatres on a cyclic basis. This paper proposes a model that assists hospitals in creating new master theatre timetables, which take account of reducing the maximum number of beds required, surgeons’ availability, surgeons’ preferences, variations in types of theatre and their suitability for different types of surgery, limited equipment availability, and the ability to vary the length of the cycle over which the timetable is repeated. The weightings given to each of these factors can be altered, thereby allowing exploration of a variety of possible timetables. Novel features of the model include consideration of surgeons’ preferences for slots, smoothing of bed usage during the generation of master theatre timetables and the use of operating theatres with the potential for the same theatre to be belong to multiple non-nested types. These new features are considered in combination with a range of other factors that have been considered in previous studies on the development of master theatre timetables.