Mixed Integer Linear Programming applied to the Operating Room Scheduling Problem of a Brazilian Public Hospital

We propose a Mixed Integer Linear Programming model for the Operating Theatre Scheduling Problem in a Brazilian public hospital, focusing on the tactical level. Whilst our model includes well-known restrictions from the literature, it also differs in that it includes constraints regarding the availability of anaesthetists, the simultaneous allocation of theatres for transplants, and the prioritisation of medical subspecialties. The validation with the real data from the University of Campinas Hospital of Clinics showed that the approach, implemented with free licence solver, is able to replicate the traditional schedule while extending operating theatre capacity, thus demonstrating its applicability.