A discrete-event simulation model for analysing and improving operations in a blood donation centre

Background and objectives: Healthcare systems require effective and efficient blood donation supply chains to provide an adequate amount of whole blood and blood components to hospitals and transfusion centres. However, some crucial steps of the chain, for example blood collection, are not adequately studied in the literature. This work analyses the operations in a blood collection centre with the twofold aim of analysing different configurations and evaluating the effectiveness and feasibility of schedules defined at higher planning levels. Materials and methods: The analyses are performed through a discrete event simulation (DES) model that describes a customizable collection centre. Moreover, a feedback loop from the DES to the higher planning level allows to adjust scheduling decisions if they determine criticalities or infeasibilities at the operational level. Results: Numerical tests have been conducted considering a real Italian provider. An experimental plan has been designed to compare different configurations for the blood collection centre and evaluate the best ones in terms of cost and service quality for the three main actors involved (donors, workers and managers). The best configurations have been also used to test the feedback loop. Conclusions: Results confirm the appropriateness of the proposed DES model, which can be considered a useful decision support tool for dimensioning and managing a blood collection centre, either as a standalone tool or in conjunction with a scheduler.