A Novel Two-Echelon Sustainable Network Design and Optimization Under a Fuzzy Environment: A Healthcare Case Study

Abstract

The healthcare system relies on a complex blood supply chain involving various echelons, such as blood production, collection and distribution. Blood products are also perishable, so they must be transported quickly, safely and cost-effectively. Further, fuzzy parameters, such as red blood cells, plasma and platelets, are considered because of uncertainty. This study presents a Fuzzy Sustainable Blood Supply Chain Network Design Problem with an Electric vehicle fleet (FSBSCNDP-E). The goal is to develop and optimize a novel, efficient two-echelon blood supply chain network incorporating an electric vehicle fleet. Another contribution is the usage of zero-to-low-emission vehicles in the network design to achieve sustainable transportation goals. Also, the presented problem is formulated as a fuzzy mixed-integer linear programming model. Next, the study proposes an Adaptive Variable Neighbourhood Search (AVNS) framework combined with problem-specific intensification procedures. Finally, the study presents a scenario analysis with insights into sustainability and time-related and cost-related objectives.