SUCCESS FACTORS FOR EFFECTIVE APPLICATION OF LEAN IN SAUDI HOSPITALS’ SUPPLY CHAIN – A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

The systematic review aimed to identify and analyse the key success factors for an effective application of lean within supply chain practices of hospitals that operate in Saudi Arabia. Its main objectives included exploration of the association between lean and supply chain management in Saudi hospital industry, identification of lean tools and methods used in supply chain in Saudi hospital industry, and identification of the critical success factors for an effective implementation of lean in supply chain, which can ensure a successful supply chain management within hospitals of Saudi Arabia. Overall, its key findings based on systematic review and synthesis of 8 studies showed that various lean tools and methods are used within hospitals’ supply chains for meeting customers’ demand for quality healthcare, reduced costs, and enhanced efficacy of supply chain processes of hospitals. Moreover, the systematic review revealed that critical success factors for effective lean implementation are related to cost, quality improvement approaches, inventory, supply chain management (SCM), measurement, leadership, human resource (HR), customer, leadership and improvement. Therefore, it deduced that performance of supply chain within Saudi hospitals can be improved through focusing on a Lean Supply Chain Management (LSCM) model which is based on critical success factors of cost, quality improvement approaches, inventory, supply chain management (SCM), measurement, leadership, human resource (HR), customer, leadership and improvement. The integration of lean based on these factors with supply chain management can result into enhancement of the overall performance of healthcare supply chain in the country