An Evaluation of Blood-Inventory Policies: A Markov Chain Application

A theoretical model using mainly the theory of absorbing Markov chains is applied to several human-blood-issuing policies. The objective of the model applications is to determine the effects of the issuing policies on average inventory levels, which determine blood shortage probabilities, and on the average age of blood at the time it is transfused. Issuing policies that issue (transfuse) fresher blood with a higher probability than older blood are defined as modified fifo policies, and issuing policies that issue older blood with a higher probability than fresher blood are defined as modified fifo policies. Application of the theoretical model to the various issuing policies allows complete evaluation of the policies, and a policy choice can be made on the basis of the evaluation.