Authors:
Georgia Fargetta
and
Laura Scrimali
Affiliation:
University of Catania, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Via Andrea Doria, 6, 95125, Catania, Italy
Keyword(s):
Personnel Scheduling, Assignment Problem, Mathematical Programming, Integer Programming.
Abstract:
In this paper, we propose a multi-stage integer linear programming problem to solve the scheduling of speech-language pathologists involved in conventional treatments as well as in augmentative and alternative communication therapies. In order to reduce the complexity of this problem, we suggest a hierarchical approach that breaks the problem into three sub-problems: patient selection for augmentative and alternative communication therapies, therapists’ shift assignment, and routing optimization of home-based rehabilitation services. The resulting models were tested on data collected in a physiotherapy centre in Acireale (Catania, Italy), using AMPL optimization package and Genetic Algorithm implemented in Matlab. From the results of the case study, the model ensures to maximize the number of patients eligible for augmentative and alternative communication therapies, to assign sustainable therapist schedule, and to optimize the home therapy routing.