TRSM Research Seminar by Dr. Mehdi Najafi

Title: Utilizing Patient Information to Improve Service Quality in Radiotherapy Centers: A Data-Driven Approach

Abstract: Radiotherapy stands as a prevalent treatment method in the medical field, with approximately half of cancer patients incorporating it into their treatment regimen. Typically administered five days a week with at least two days of respite, this treatment regimen at radiotherapy centers faces challenges such as high demand, limited resource capacity, patient tardiness, and the complexity of scheduling appointments. While many centers employ a First-Come-First-Serve (FCFS) policy for appointment scheduling, this method proves inefficient due to its failure to account for patient behaviors. Ineffectual scheduling often results in operational inefficiencies and patient dissatisfaction. To address this shortcoming, we propose a data-driven approach to patient appointment scheduling. Our system incorporates patients' histories of unpunctuality, including habitual lateness and the likelihood of missed appointments, using data-mining techniques to predict and integrate these behaviors into the Patient Appointment Scheduling (PAS) system. Additionally, our study introduces a novel double-stage prioritization method that considers both the gradual improvement in patients' health throughout the treatment process and any potential treatment prolongation. These predictions and priorities are integrated into the developed model to optimize the scheduling of patient services. The model also accounts for no-show patients, rescheduling makeup sessions to fulfill their service requirements. Through a case study implementation, we demonstrate that our model significantly enhances the center's operational efficiency, reducing total costs by up to 30%.

Bio: Dr. Mehdi Najafi is a research fellow at the Ted-Rogers School of Management, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). Prior to joining TMU, he held a faculty position in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Sharif University of Technology (SUT). Mehdi earned his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Industrial and System Engineering from the Iran University of Science and Technology and Amirkabir University of Technology respectively. His academic journey culminated with a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from SUT, where he seamlessly transitioned to a faculty role. His research expertise lies in the application of quantitative techniques within expansive production and service systems, with a specific focus on Logistics and Supply Chain and Healthcare Operations Management. He is passionate about utilizing mathematical modeling, optimization, and data analytics techniques to analyze real-world systems, identify inefficiencies, and enhance overall performance. His impactful research contributions have been recognized through publications in esteemed refereed journals, including Transportation Science, European Journal of Operations Research, Omega, Transportation Research Part E, OR Spectrum, and Operations Research for Healthcare.