Multi-Depot General Colored Traveling Salesman Problem with Time Windows in Home Healthcare System: A Medication Delivery Example

Authors

  • Ilgin Acar Department of Industrial and Entrepreneurial Engineering and Engineering Management, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, The United States of America | Human Performance Institute, Optimization, Data, and Decision Science Laboratory (ODDS Lab), Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, The United States of America
  • Islam Altin Department of Industrial and Entrepreneurial Engineering and Engineering Management, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, The United States of America | Human Performance Institute, Optimization, Data, and Decision Science Laboratory (ODDS Lab), Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, The United States of America

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23055/ijietap.2025.32.2.10657

Keywords:

General colored traveling salesman problem, home healthcare system, medication delivery, Mix Integer Linear Programming (MILP), variable neighborhood descent algorithm

Abstract

This paper focuses on the problem of medication delivery, specifically addressing meeting the medication demands of patients by different pharmacies. Medication delivery, along with the distribution of vaccines and test kits, is a crucial component of home healthcare services, primarily aiming to serve elderly patients and those with physical or psychological disabilities. A significant aspect of these services is the direct delivery of medications from pharmacies to patients' homes. The importance of home healthcare services has grown, particularly during the pandemic, as many patients faced difficulties accessing both prescribed and over-the-counter medications during lockdowns. The medication delivery problem under consideration is modeled as a Multi-Depot General Colored Traveling Salesman Problem with Time Windows (MD-GCTSP-TW). To solve this problem, a mixed integer mathematical model and a metaheuristic algorithm were designed. The effectiveness of these methods was tested on a variety of test problems, demonstrating the metaheuristic's efficiency through promising results.

Downloads

Published

2025-04-02

How to Cite

Acar, I., & Altin, I. (2025). Multi-Depot General Colored Traveling Salesman Problem with Time Windows in Home Healthcare System: A Medication Delivery Example. International Journal of Industrial Engineering: Theory, Applications and Practice, 32(2). https://doi.org/10.23055/ijietap.2025.32.2.10657

Issue

Vol. 32 No. 2 (2025)

Section

Operations Research/Management Science

License

The Author(s) must formally transfer each article's copyright before publication in the INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING. Such transfer enables the Journal to defend itself against plagiarism and other forms of copyright infringement. Your cooperation is appreciated.

You agree that the copyright of your article to be published in the INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING - THEORY, APPLICATIONS, AND PRACTICE is hereby transferred, throughout the World and for the full term and all extensions and renewals thereof, to INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING - THEORY, APPLICATIONS, AND PRACTICE.

The Author(s) reserve(s): (a) the trademark rights and patent rights, if any, and (b) the right to use all or part of the information contained in this article in future, non-commercial works of the Author's own, or, if the article is a "work-for-hire" and made within the scope of the Author's employment, the employer may use all or part of the information contained in this article for intra-company use, provided the usual acknowledgments are given regarding copyright notice and reference to the original publication.

The Author(s) warrant(s) that the article is Author's original work and has not been published before. If excerpts from copyrighted works are included, the Author will obtain written permission from the copyright owners and credit the article's sources.

The author also warrants that the article contains no libelous or unlawful statements and does not infringe on the rights of others. If the article was prepared jointly with other Author(s), the Author agrees to inform the co-Author(s) of the terms of the copyright transfer and to sign on their behalf; or in the case of a "work-for-hire," the employer or an authorized representative of the employer.

The journal does not provide the author copy of the final paper when it is published. The author(s) can make(s) a subscription to INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING - THEORY, APPLICATIONS, AND PRACTICE if they want to get the final paper that has already been published.

The journal is registered with the Library of Congress (ISSN # 1943-670X). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the journal.

The author reserves patent and trademark rights and the right to use all or part of the information contained in the article in future non-commercial works.