Computerized Patient Scheduling In A Clinic

This paper describes a computerized approach to the problem of scheduling patients to treatment centers in a clinic. Patients spend one week at the clinic, the first day of which is spent in medical examination and the determination of treatment requirements. The remaining four days are devoted to treatment. The scheduling problem is centered primarily about the utilization of the 19 treatment centers. Each center has a capacity which may change depending on the status of equipment and personnel. From thirty to forty patients must each receive the required treatment at some of these centers. Therefore, the schedule must assure that all required patient treatment is accomplished while at the same time making the fullest possible use of each treatment center. This computerized patient schedule creates an effective, distributed schedule that is timely, adaptive, and objective. It further provides the clinic director with a flexible planning tool whereby resources and patients can be more effectively used and controlled with a minimum of human effort required.