Expected outcomes of stratified post-donation testing in whole blood donation in England: A discrete event simulation modeling study.

Summary: Donating blood saves lives, but getting turned away at the door because of low iron (hemoglobin) levels is frustrating for donors and costly for blood banks. A new study in England used computer modeling to test a "smarter" way to screen donors. Instead of testing everyone’s iron levels before they donate, the study suggests testing mostly after the donation, while only pre-screening those who had low levels in the past. This "stratified" approach significantly reduced the number of people sent home without donating, making the process more efficient while still keeping donors safe and the blood supply healthy.