Surfactant Stock Optimization for Cost Minimization in Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Surfactant deficiency in newborns is a result of a respiratory insufficiency condition, which is a major cause of illness and death. In terms of maintaining vital functions that require emergency intervention, it is crucial that surfactant is available for treatment upon request. The unknown times between patient arrivals and the patients' stochastic weight changes in the hospital cause difficulties in determining the surfactant doses needed. The surfactant dose treatment for patients must be calculated according to the patient's weight. In this study, a mathematical model that minimizes the purchase, order, holding, and waste costs of the surfactant has been developed while finding the optimum vial by considering random variables such as the time between a patient's arrival and weight changes. With cost and demand affecting each other, the model uses a continuous inventory control policy, including calculating how much each preparation and vial should be used for, the reorder point, and the optimum order quantity. Also, the validity of the optimum values obtained with the mathematical model of a 66-bed neonatal intensive care unit in a hospital was tested with real data.