Healthcare System Optimization: A Systematic Review of Integrated Operations Research Approaches in Scheduling and Resource Allocation

Healthcare systems worldwide struggle with operational inefficiencies despite massive financial investments, with fragmented optimization approaches contributing to suboptimal performance and compromised patient outcomes. This paper examine integrated operations research methodologies in healthcare systems, focusing on scheduling optimization, resource allocation, and emergency response coordination from to 2015-2024. A systematic review following the PRISMA guidelines was conducted using the PubMed, IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, Scopus, and JSTOR databases. The inclusion criteria comprised peer-reviewed articles addressing integrated OR applications in healthcare with quantitative results or implementation experiences. Out of the 1,247 initially identified studies, 32 met the inclusion criteria. Integrated optimization approaches demonstrated 15-30% operational efficiency improvements compared to traditional departmental methods. The key success factors included executive leadership commitment, clinical champion development, and phased implementation strategies. Based on findings from the research, we conclude that integrated operations research approaches have evolved from theoretical concepts to practical implementations, delivering substantial performance improvements. However, successful deployment requires a comprehensive organizational transformation that extends beyond technical sophistication. Keywords: operations research, healthcare optimization, integrated scheduling, resource allocation, emergency response, systematic review