Prioritize the Dimensions of Agile Hospital Supply Chain with Combination of Interpretive Structural Modeling and Analytic Network Process

Abstract

Background: Hospital supply chain management (SCM) agility requires finding the main and effective dimensions, prioritizing, communicating between them and analyzing these dimensions in relation to each other. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify different dimensions of the hospital SCM agility, proposing a model of the hospital SCM agility and determining the relationships between dimensions of agility, and prioritizing, analyzing, and interpreting dimensions of the hospital SCM agility. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on the physicians, nurses and staff working at public hospitals affiliated to Guilan University of Medical Sciences. Delphi technique was used to determine the dimensions of agility, interpretive-structural modeling approach was used for analysis. Network analysis was used to prioritize the dimensions of agility Results:‌ In the literature review 16 dimensions of agility were identified. The final model of agile supply chain management has 8 levels; cost reduction placed at the highest level and organizational leadership commitment was at the lowest level. Cost reduction dimensions were the highest priority and organizational culture was the lowest priority in the final network analysis. Conclusion: Agile supply chain management has very important and complex elements. Neglecting to monitor their changes can cause irreparable and profound damage to the medical sector. Interpretive-structural approach and network analysis create a constructive and effective method to model, analyze, and prioritize the dimensions of agile supply chain management.