Abstract: A set of linked lists of time segments represent the actions of resources that are input of a time scheduling system. A system and method are described that operate on said linked list and that produce a solution that meets the constraints imposed by the actions of said resources. The method is described in the context of appointment scheduling systems for medical institutions, where appointments need to be scheduled for patients, taking into account a multitude of constraints such as the availability of staff, equipment, facilities and of the patient himself .

Abstract: An appointment scheduling method and associated user interface wherein an overview of appointments of a patient, an overview of the agendas of involved resources and details on an instantiated appointment are displayed on a single screen permitting verification and confirmation of an instantiated appointment by the user.

Abstract: An appointment scheduling method wherein available time slots for an appointment are ranked according to the result of a balancing of importance factors adhered by an enterprise to weights associated with the available time slots such as efficiency of use of resources, urgency of examination, financial impact etc.

Abstract: An appointment scheduling method and associated user interface wherein the risk of errors is decreased by displaying in different linked screens identification data of the patient and/or resource to which an action to be performed in the scheduling procedure, pertains.

Abstract: Scheduling systems for scheduling appointments on multiple sites need to be linked, if such systems use different databases. The activity to be performed by the performing site during the appointment may be given by a requesting code, specific for the requesting site. If the activity can be performed at the requesting site, i.e. the requesting site and the performing site are identical, then this “requesting code” may define that one or more resources are required for performing the scheduled appointment at the requesting site. The availability of these resources can be fetched from one or more databases coupled to the requesting site. If the performing site is different from the requesting site, the requesting code used at the performing site for the activity may be different from the requesting code used at the requesting site, and different resources may be requested by the performing site.

Abstract: A solution space is computed and stored which comprises for a given set of constraints all possible solutions for all available resources of a certain kind. Upon selection of a specific resource, the solution space is filtered to select all possible combinations containing the specific resource and the result of the filtering is displayed.

Abstract: Two parallel time lines are displayed. On a first time line all possible solutions for scheduling an appointment within a preset period of time, such as a day or a part of the day, are displayed. Such a possible solution can be selected. Triggered by such a user selection of one of the displayed possible solutions a period surrounding the selected possible solution is blown up and displayed on the second time line. Possible solutions within the period on said second time line are indicated and can also be selected.

Abstract: A system and a method are described for scheduling appointments for e.g. patients in medical institutions for performing a procedure such as an examination, according to operational constraints and availability preference criteria. A problem arises when a user of the system gets only one or more available time slots for the appointment, having the duration of the procedure, instead of all possible solutions for a complete time window. A solution is to provide time segments, having a duration longer than or equal to the time slot, and giving the patient the option to select a start time within one of these time segments. The method may be used in a computer or server system e.g. for scheduling examinations of patients in a radiology department or for documentation purposes of these examinations.