Designing an Optimal Model of Blood Logistics Management with the Possibility of Return in the Three-Level Blood Transfusion Network

Abstract

Abstract Inventory managers in the blood supply chain always seek timely and proper response to their customers, which is essential because of the perishability and uncertainty of blood demand and the direct relationship of its presence or non-presence with human life. On the other hand, timely and regular delivery of blood to consumers is vital, as the weakness in delivery and transportation policies results in increased shortages, returns, blood loss and significant decrease in the quality of blood required by patients. Given the significance of this for the blood transfusion network, the paper tried to design a comprehensive and integrated optimal model of blood transfusion network logistics management by blood group to reduce the cost of losses, returns and blood shortages. This model is divided into two parts: Inventory management and routing. A combination of simulation techniques and neural network with several recurrent layers was used to evaluate the optimal inventory management and a multi-objective planning model was designed to determine the delivery and distribution of blood to consumers. The model designed was implemented in Khorasan Razavi Blood Transfusion Network with a main base, six central bases and 54 hospitals. Solving the model led to estimating the f consumer demand, the optimal value of target inventory and re-ordering point of central bases and hospitals, and blood distribution from the supplier to its consumers that decreased the units of blood returned to bases, increased inventory availability, and reduced costs significantly.