Author: admin

Who: Carloyn Busby

When: Tuesday, November 7th @ 12:00pm – 1:00pm

Where: RS207

Abstract: Many Canadian hospitals run at or near capacity, frequently experiencing congestion due to surges in demand. “Surge Protocols” that formally define when and what kind of operational steps can be taken to alleviate congestion are routinely in use. Decisions across the hospital, regarding bed capacity and allocation, staffing levels, and the surgical block schedule influence the frequency and severity of congestion, which in turn manifests in high bed occupancy, delayed admissions, a crowded Emergency Department, surgical cancellations and increased use of surge protocols. A generic, data-driven, discrete event simulation is presented that helps hospitals assess the impact of hospital wide decisions and surge policies on each area of the hospital. The model was developed in cooperation with two hospitals, and then applied at two additional hospitals.

Who: Justin Boutilier, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Toronto

When: Wednesday, October 11th @ 12:00pm – 1:00pm

Where: RS207

Abstract: Time sensitive medical emergencies are a major health concern comprising one third of all deaths in low and middle income countries (LMICs). Despite evidence that emergency transport services can save lives, poor access and availability of emergency medical care in LMICs continues to be a widespread problem. In this paper, we develop a two-stage robust optimization model that optimizes both the location and routing of emergency response vehicles, incorporating both uncertain travel times and uncertain spatial demand, which are derived from real LMIC data.

What: Fall Social, 2017: Trivia Night!

When: September 21, 2017; 5-7:30PM

Where: MB101

UTORG is hosting a trivia night! We’ll have a trivia contest followed by a mixer; refreshments and snacks will be served. We’ll put everyone into groups for the trivia, so it’s a great way to meet other OR students.

Hope to see you there!