Simulation modeling of the blood supply process in a hospital

Due to its irreplaceable nature, human blood is an essential fluid making it a fundamental component of healthcare systems. The continuity of healthcare services and the effectiveness of medical interventions depend on the efficient management of blood products. This study investigates how a university hospital's blood bank performs under several potential disaster scenarios. The hospital under consideration is one of the largest university hospitals located in Central Anatolia. Over a 12-month period, comprehensive data were collected regarding the supply and demand quantities of red blood cell suspensions. The university blood bank receives blood from Red Crescent on a daily basis and voluntary donations from patients' relatives in emergency cases. The blood required by the hospital is supplied directly from the university's blood bank. It is assumed that the blood types are independent and cannot be substituted for one another. A Discrete-event simulation model supported by real-world conditions was developed to accurately represent the operations of the blood bank. For each blood type four minimum inventory levels and three disaster demand levels were considered resulting in a total of twelve disaster scenarios. Blood emergency coverage rates were estimated for each blood type. The results indicate that the minimum inventory levels for types B Rh (-) and AB Rh (-) should be closely monitored.