Healthcare 4.0 digital technologies impact on quality of care: A systematic literature review

The healthcare industry is transforming into Healthcare 4.0 (H4.0), an era characterized by smart and connected healthcare systems. This study presents a conceptual framework that classifies H4.0 digital technologies into information and communication technology bundles within the healthcare value chain. It also identifies barriers and evaluates digital technologies’ impact on quality measures through a systematic literature review and meta-analysis approach following the PRISMA protocol. The analysis reveals that digital technologies in the healthcare sector traditionally consist of sensing-communication and processing-actuation technologies. The findings highlight the significant influence of H4.0 digital technologies on three quality measures: patient safety, patient experience/ satisfaction, and clinical effectiveness. While these technologies offer potential benefits, they pose challenges for patients and clinicians, including intellectual property and significance concerns, especially in North America. The proposed framework addresses these issues and enables stakeholders to prioritize, review, and analyze H4.0 digital technologies to enhance patient safety, experience, and clinical effectiveness. This research contributes to the existing literature by being the first comprehensive analysis of the impact of H4.0 technologies on the quality of care. The framework provided in this study offers valuable guidance for stakeholders in selecting appropriate technologies to improve patient outcomes and support the healthcare value chain

Lessons learned from humanitarian logistics to manage supply chain disruptions

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak affects not just populations but also global and local economies and supply chains. The outbreak itself has impacted on production lines and manufacturing capacities. In response to the outbreak, policies have been put in place that blocks the movement of people and materials, causing supply chain disruptions. Mainstream supply chain management has been at a loss in responding to these disruptions, mostly due to a dominant focus on minimizing costs for stable operations, while following lean, just-in-time, and zero-inventory approaches. On the other hand, pandemic response supply chains, and their relate d supply chain disruptions, share many characteristics with disaster response and thereby with humanitarian supply chains. Much can thus be learned from humanitarian supply chains for managing pandemic-related supply chain disruptions. What is more, facing, and managing, supply chain disruptions can be considered the new norm also in light of other disruptive forces such as climate change, or financial or political crises. This article therefore presents lessons learned from humanitarian supply chains that help mitigate and overcome supply chain disruptions. These lessons not only relate to preparedness and mobilization, but also relate to standardization, innovation, and collaboration. Together, they brace organizations, supply chains, and societies, to manage current and future disruptions