An ASP-based Solution to the Medical Appointment Scheduling Problem

TL;DR

This work tackles efficient, patient-centered medical appointment scheduling under resource constraints by presenting an ASP-based framework that declaratively encodes hard clinical and logistical constraints alongside soft objectives, augmented with Blueprint Personas for personalized care. It demonstrates real-time performance with sub-0.04 second solving times across synthetic scenarios, handling accessibility, sensory preferences, urgency, and budget considerations. The approach yields explainable, optimal schedules and supports seamless integration with centralized systems like CUP, while remaining adaptable to decentralization and broader domains. Overall, the framework offers a scalable, generalizable solution with potential applications to rostering, timetabling, and facility scheduling.

Abstract

This paper presents an Answer Set Programming (ASP)-based framework for medical appointment scheduling, aimed at improving efficiency, reducing administrative overhead, and enhancing patient-centered care. The framework personalizes scheduling for vulnerable populations by integrating Blueprint Personas. It ensures real-time availability updates, conflict-free assignments, and seamless interoperability with existing healthcare platforms by centralizing planning operations within an ASP logic model.