2964. Discrete Event Simulation for Perishable Inventory Management in Human Milk Banking
Invited abstract in session TA-4: Journal of Simulation. Computer Modelling and Simulation, stream OR Journals.
Tuesday, 8:30-10:00Room: Rupert Beckett LT
Authors (first author is the speaker)
| 1. | Marta Staff
|
| 2. | Navonil Mustafee
|
| Business School, University of Exeter |
Abstract
Human Milk Banks play an important role in providing pasteurised donor human milk (DHM) to infants in neonatal care and community settings. Being perishable, DHM requires effective inventory management to ensure optimal utilisation, minimise waste, and meet demand from both settings. Balancing supply, storage, and allocation decisions is a challenge due to variable supply and uncertain demand.
Extending a previously developed conceptual model, this study applies Discrete Event Simulation (DES) to model DHM inventory dynamics, focusing on bottling choices, batch handling, and allocation strategies. DES is well suited for capturing system variability and decision-making processes, allowing exploration of different inventory management policies.
The study examines two classes of DHM products, where hospital demand requires smaller bottles, with a more costly production process than for larger bottles used for community allocation. Substitution is unidirectional, meaning hospital-grade DHM may be repurposed, but community-grade DHM cannot be redirected back. By varying supply and demand levels, we determined scenarios where enhanced perishable inventory management techniques, such as batch splitting and early redirection to the community, provide operational benefits. Both donor supply and hospital neonatal unit demand are statistically modelled using distributions fitted to real-world data, allowing for a realistic evaluation of inventory strategies in human milk banking.
Keywords
- Inventory
- Simulation
- Health Care
Status: accepted
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