Estimating the cost of expanding an apheresis program

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences
• Economics
• Blood Banking

Background:

• Determining the cost of expanding blood product operations requires understanding marginal cost.
• Previous costing methods may not accurately reflect the discrete nature of resource inputs in apheresis operations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement a cost analysis method for increasing plasma collection through apheresis.
• To model the marginal costs associated with scaling apheresis operations.

Main Methods:

• Developed a stepwise cost analysis function relating operating costs to apheresis collection volume.
• Incorporated discrete increases in resource inputs like direct labor and machinery.
• Applied the model to predict marginal costs for a Canadian blood center.

Main Results:

• The stepwise cost analysis function effectively models the cost of increasing plasma collection.
• Predicted marginal costs for potential increases in plasma supply were determined.
• Identified differences in plasma costs between Canada and the US, linked to collection volume standards and material pricing.

Conclusions:

• A stepwise cost analysis is crucial for accurately determining the marginal cost of expanding apheresis plasma collection.
• The developed model provides a practical tool for blood centers to predict costs associated with increased plasma supply.
• Variations in international plasma costs highlight the impact of regulatory standards and pricing strategies.