Three research projects by Telfer graduate students presented at the 2012 CORS/MOPGP

Three research projects by Telfer graduate students were presented at the 2012 CORS/MOPGP conference in Niagara Falls June 11-13, 2012. This conference is a joint event bringing together researchers from the Canadian Operational Research Society and the International Conference on Multiple Objective Programming and Goal Programming.

Surgical scheduling and capacity planning

Professor Jonathan Patrick and M.Sc. in Health Systems student Anisa Aubin research the capacity implications of achieving wait-time targets for multiple priority levels of patients requiring emergency surgery. They present a simulation model that examines the trade-off between additional operating-room capacity versus increased re-scheduling of elective surgeries when capacity is not available.

Davood Astaraky, M.Sc. student in Systems Science under Professor Patrick’s supervision, presented a new approximate dynamic programming model of surgical scheduling and capacity planning. The model aims to optimize patient scheduling in order to meet mandated wait-time targets, while maximizing use of operating rooms and surgical beds. Both projects are conducted in collaboration with The Ottawa Hospital.

Assessing performance of emergency department physicians

M.Sc. student in Health Systems Javier Fiallos, working with Professors Michalowski and Patrick, presented his work on using mathematical modeling to assess the performance of emergency department physicians using multiple evaluation criteria. This research is being conducted in cooperation with the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO).

Project support

These projects are part of an ongoing program of research focused on health systems management and supported by grants from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the IBM Centre for Business Analytics and Performance at the Telfer School of Management.