Computer simulation analysis of blood donor queueing problems

Area of Science:

• Operations research
• Healthcare management
• Blood banking logistics

Background:

• Blood collection drives face challenges with donor flow and waiting times.
• Inefficient scheduling can lead to donor dissatisfaction and reduced collection efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze donor scheduling strategies and their impact on queueing in blood collection.
• To identify optimal strategies for managing donor flow and system capacity.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a computer simulation model to study workflow and queueing dynamics.
• Compared different donor arrival patterns (stream, block, random) at a constant hourly rate.
• Evaluated the effect of arrival variability and processing times on queue length.

Main Results:

• Controlling queueing depends on managing arrival rates within system capacity, not solely on scheduling strategy.
• Widely uneven arrivals, even at the same input level, result in longer queues compared to even arrivals.
• Scheduling male donors first can optimize time due to their shorter average phlebotomy processing times.
• Nursing utilization is highest when donor arrival rates are near system capacity.

Conclusions:

• System capacity management is crucial for preventing excessive donor queues.
• Optimizing donor flow involves balancing arrival rates and considering demographic-specific processing times.
• Further techniques may exist to mitigate queueing issues during high-demand periods.