Quarantine-aware home healthcare routing and scheduling: a bi-objective approach

<p dir="ltr">The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an unparalleled challenge to the healthcare sector, emphasizing the vital role of Home Healthcare (HHC) services in delivering essential medical care to patients and the elderly within their homes. This approach has proven to be the mo...

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Main Author: Najmeh Nabavizadeh (22928821) (author)
Other Authors: Majid Rafiee (11948856) (author), Vahid Kayvanfar (17876921) (author), Nima Moradi (19418821) (author)
Published: 2025
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author Najmeh Nabavizadeh (22928821)
author2 Majid Rafiee (11948856)
Vahid Kayvanfar (17876921)
Nima Moradi (19418821)
author2_role author
author
author
author_facet Najmeh Nabavizadeh (22928821)
Majid Rafiee (11948856)
Vahid Kayvanfar (17876921)
Nima Moradi (19418821)
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Najmeh Nabavizadeh (22928821)
Majid Rafiee (11948856)
Vahid Kayvanfar (17876921)
Nima Moradi (19418821)
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025-08-17T09:00:00Z
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 10.1007/s12597-025-00987-x
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Quarantine-aware_home_healthcare_routing_and_scheduling_a_bi-objective_approach/30971593
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv CC BY 4.0
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Commerce, management, tourism and services
Transportation, logistics and supply chains
Health sciences
Epidemiology
Health services and systems
Public health
Home healthcare
Vehicle routing problem (VRP)
Pickup and delivery
Time window
Mixed integer linear programming (MILP)
COVID-19
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Quarantine-aware home healthcare routing and scheduling: a bi-objective approach
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Text
Journal contribution
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
text
contribution to journal
description <p dir="ltr">The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an unparalleled challenge to the healthcare sector, emphasizing the vital role of Home Healthcare (HHC) services in delivering essential medical care to patients and the elderly within their homes. This approach has proven to be the most effective means of adhering to quarantine protocols. In response, healthcare managers/decision-makers face the imperative of cost reduction, service quality enhancement, and the assessment of patient and nurse satisfaction. To address these pressing needs, our research introduces a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model tailored to the COVID-19 era. The model's central objective is to augment the operational efficiency and patient satisfaction of HHC organizations while ensuring strict adherence to quarantine regulations. It builds upon the foundational Vehicle Routing Problem with Pickup/Delivery and Time Window formulation, encompassing critical aspects like patient and caregiver classification, work regulations, workload balancing, and multi-depot capabilities. The bi-objective model considers the primary constraints associated with quarantine conditions. For model resolution, we employ the augmented ɛ-constraint (AUGMECON) method and conduct several sensitivity analyses related to workload balancing's impact on other decision variables. To illustrate the problem’s complexity and assess the effectiveness of the proposed MILP model across various scenarios, 15 additional sample instances have been solved and documented in the Appendix. In conclusion, our research not only provides essential managerial insights but also highlights avenues for future research within this crucial domain.</p><h2 dir="ltr">Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: OPSEARCH<br>License: <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0" target="_blank">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12597-025-00987-x" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12597-025-00987-x</a></p>
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
id Manara2_278aede44f888f9796037f905fada026
identifier_str_mv 10.1007/s12597-025-00987-x
network_acronym_str Manara2
network_name_str Manara2
oai_identifier_str oai:figshare.com:article/30971593
publishDate 2025
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
repository.name.fl_str_mv
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rights_invalid_str_mv CC BY 4.0
spelling Quarantine-aware home healthcare routing and scheduling: a bi-objective approachNajmeh Nabavizadeh (22928821)Majid Rafiee (11948856)Vahid Kayvanfar (17876921)Nima Moradi (19418821)Commerce, management, tourism and servicesTransportation, logistics and supply chainsHealth sciencesEpidemiologyHealth services and systemsPublic healthHome healthcareVehicle routing problem (VRP)Pickup and deliveryTime windowMixed integer linear programming (MILP)COVID-19<p dir="ltr">The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an unparalleled challenge to the healthcare sector, emphasizing the vital role of Home Healthcare (HHC) services in delivering essential medical care to patients and the elderly within their homes. This approach has proven to be the most effective means of adhering to quarantine protocols. In response, healthcare managers/decision-makers face the imperative of cost reduction, service quality enhancement, and the assessment of patient and nurse satisfaction. To address these pressing needs, our research introduces a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model tailored to the COVID-19 era. The model's central objective is to augment the operational efficiency and patient satisfaction of HHC organizations while ensuring strict adherence to quarantine regulations. It builds upon the foundational Vehicle Routing Problem with Pickup/Delivery and Time Window formulation, encompassing critical aspects like patient and caregiver classification, work regulations, workload balancing, and multi-depot capabilities. The bi-objective model considers the primary constraints associated with quarantine conditions. For model resolution, we employ the augmented ɛ-constraint (AUGMECON) method and conduct several sensitivity analyses related to workload balancing's impact on other decision variables. To illustrate the problem’s complexity and assess the effectiveness of the proposed MILP model across various scenarios, 15 additional sample instances have been solved and documented in the Appendix. In conclusion, our research not only provides essential managerial insights but also highlights avenues for future research within this crucial domain.</p><h2 dir="ltr">Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: OPSEARCH<br>License: <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0" target="_blank">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12597-025-00987-x" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12597-025-00987-x</a></p>2025-08-17T09:00:00ZTextJournal contributioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersiontextcontribution to journal10.1007/s12597-025-00987-xhttps://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Quarantine-aware_home_healthcare_routing_and_scheduling_a_bi-objective_approach/30971593CC BY 4.0info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:figshare.com:article/309715932025-08-17T09:00:00Z
spellingShingle Quarantine-aware home healthcare routing and scheduling: a bi-objective approach
Najmeh Nabavizadeh (22928821)
Commerce, management, tourism and services
Transportation, logistics and supply chains
Health sciences
Epidemiology
Health services and systems
Public health
Home healthcare
Vehicle routing problem (VRP)
Pickup and delivery
Time window
Mixed integer linear programming (MILP)
COVID-19
status_str publishedVersion
title Quarantine-aware home healthcare routing and scheduling: a bi-objective approach
title_full Quarantine-aware home healthcare routing and scheduling: a bi-objective approach
title_fullStr Quarantine-aware home healthcare routing and scheduling: a bi-objective approach
title_full_unstemmed Quarantine-aware home healthcare routing and scheduling: a bi-objective approach
title_short Quarantine-aware home healthcare routing and scheduling: a bi-objective approach
title_sort Quarantine-aware home healthcare routing and scheduling: a bi-objective approach
topic Commerce, management, tourism and services
Transportation, logistics and supply chains
Health sciences
Epidemiology
Health services and systems
Public health
Home healthcare
Vehicle routing problem (VRP)
Pickup and delivery
Time window
Mixed integer linear programming (MILP)
COVID-19