A two-stage stochastic programming model for phlebotomist scheduling in hospital laboratories

This paper introduces a two-stage stochastic integer linear programming model to improve phlebotomist scheduling in laboratory facilities of healthcare delivery systems. The model developed enables laboratory management to determine optimal scheduling policies that minimize work overload. The stochastic programming model considers the uncertainty associated with the blood collection demand in laboratory environments when optimizing phlebotomist scheduling. The paper presents an application of the model to a hospital laboratory in urban North Carolina as a case study discussing the implications for hospital laboratory management.