Improvement in the operating room efficiency using Tabu search in simulation

Purpose – This paper aims to introduce the efficiency improvement in the operating room (OR) of a local hospital using the integration of simulation and optimization. Design/methodology/approach – Based on the simulation model, a Tabu search (TS) algorithm is developed as an optimizer for the meta-heuristic optimization method to find the optimum configuration of resources for the OR operation. Findings – The computational efficiency is improved for the optimum search. Results show that 21 percent more patients can be processed compared to the existing operation. The average time stay of patients in the OR is reduced by 17 percent. Research limitations/implications – Limited resources considered in the model may limit the capacity of the proposed method, more resources including nurses, beds in post-operative units, and beds in inpatient wards will be included in the decision variables. Practical implications – Long waiting lists in the OR lead to the low performance of healthcare systems. It is crucial to identify inefficiency and to improve the OR operation efficiently. Originality/value – The TS-based heuristic optimizing method developed in this research shows the promise in time saving of the optimal solution search for the OR efficiency improvement.