Determination of the optimal number and locationof different types of blood collection centers in EastAzerbaijan province based on mathematical modeling

Among the key issues in the blood supply chain design, the location of blood collection centers is essential to ensure the easy access of donors for blood donation and distribution of blood products to hospitals. The aim of this study was to calculate the optimal number and location of blood collection and processing centers, blood collection centers and mobile teams based on clinical demand, cost of construction and operating cost of these centers in East Azerbaijan province.
The study was a mathematical calculation modeling on the population of East Azerbaijan province. Three six-month periods with the first and the second in 1393 and the third in 1394 were used for calculating cost. GAMZ mathematical model was implemented and the results were extracted.
The results of the GAMZ application showed that a suitable locations for the establishment of a blood collection and processing center were in Maragheh and Mianeh, and the optimal locations for blood collection center were in Tabriz and Ahar. What is more, one mobile team could move among Marand, Tabriz, Ajabshir, Bonab, Malekan, Maragheh and Hashtrood cities in alternation with the cost of transport to be reduced.
The optimal determination of number and locations of blood collection and processing centers, blood collection centers and mobile team decreased the cost of blood collection services. In future, to plan for any changes in order to increase or decrease the number of blood centers in all provinces, the mathematical modeling in other conditions should be considered.