In healthcare management, scheduling is an essential procedure that optimizes the workflow, leading to increased nurse satisfaction and balanced benefits expenses. Excel Solver Setup is an efficient tool in Microsoft Excel that uses the what-if algorithm to determine the appropriate value for the objective cell (Microsoft, 2022). For instance, this function can optimize the schedule based on the preferences and performances of employees. Similarly, it can determine a balanced plan to minimize benefits expenses by assessing the necessary number of nurses per workday and their estimated salary.
There is a large variety of scheduling methods that Excel Solver Setup can prepare via the what-if algorithm. First Come, First Served (FCFS) is a planning strategy that implies scheduling based on sequence and consistency of arrival (Halpern, 2020). As a result, the first arrival process in technological aspect or the first nurse arriving in the hospital in healthcare gets the right for the process/shift. Consequently, the shortest processing time (SPT) is an algorithm that prioritizes the processes with the fastest completion time (“Rules of job sequencing,” 2021). It is an effective method to minimize the average waiting time of operations.
Moreover, there are scheduling methods that choose approaches based on the time remaining. Earliest Due Date (EDD) sorts the processes based on their deadlines, prioritizing the operations with the earliest due date (“Rules of job sequencing,” 2021). Slack Time Remaining or Least Slack Time (LST) chooses the processes based on the formula that assesses the necessary time to complete the operation and its deadline (“Least slack time,” 2020). Lastly, the Critical Ratio (CR) scheduling algorithm prioritizes processes based on their significance to continue functional operations (“Critical ratio,” n.d.). Ultimately, every scheduling method has advantages and drawbacks, and it is essential to choose the one that fits the current objectives.
References
Critical ratio. (n.d.). Gartner.
Halpern, S. (2020). First-come, first-served healthcare no longer applies. We must now allocate care to those who will benefit the most. Newsweek Magazine,
Least slack time (LST) scheduling algorithm in real-time systems. (2020). Geeks for Geeks.
Microsoft. (2022). Define and solve a problem by using Solver.
Rules of job sequencing in production. (2021). Planet Together.