Developing a robust stochastic model for designing a blood supply chain network in a crisis: a possible earthquake in Tehran

Abstract

In a natural disaster such as an earthquake, very often due to the extensive number of severe injuries, demands for blood units sharply increase in emergency hospitals. Regarding such a problem, we propose a new robust two-stage multi-period stochastic model for the blood supply network design with the consideration of a possible natural disaster. The demand for blood units from different types and their derivatives including plasma and platelets are uncertain variables. As a novel contribution, the possibility of transfusion of one blood type as well as its derivatives to other types based on the medical requirements is considered in the optimization model. The pertinent network consists of three layers including the donated areas, the collection blood centers, and the transfusion blood center, which is usually a governmental organization. The model is also constructed for considering a likely earthquake in Tehran (the capital of Islamic Republic of Iran) using a professional report prepared in the year 1999 and also updated in a next research work. The scenarios for the demands of blood units and their derivatives are generated based on these reports. The mathematical model is implemented and assessed in a proper way using the simulation method.