Identifying Gaps in Supply Chain Collaboration Research: A Critical Review of Current Literature and Future Directions

Supply chain collaboration means working together and sharing information, resources, and activities among organizations involved in making and delivering goods or services. In healthcare, this includes suppliers of medicines, medical devices, hospital departments, administrative units, and service providers. When these groups work well together, important items arrive on time, costs go down, and everything works more smoothly. It also helps reach sustainable development goals by supporting practices that are good for the environment, economy, and society.

A recent review of supply chain collaboration showed nine important themes related to sustainability. Some key themes are collaborative innovation, process development, and product development. Collaborative innovation means working together to improve or create new supply chain processes or products. This can make supply chains more efficient, reduce waste, and use resources better. Hospitals and clinics often have tight budgets and many rules, so these improvements matter a lot.

Gaps in Current Supply Chain Collaboration Research

Even though supply chain collaboration is being studied more, there are still important gaps, especially in healthcare in the United States. The following sections explain these gaps and where more focus is needed.

1. Lack of Focus on Effectiveness of SCC Mechanisms

Many studies say collaboration is important, but they do not clearly show which ways of collaborating work best. For example, although teamwork and innovation are said to help, few studies measure how these efforts impact results like lowering costs, speeding up delivery, or helping sustainability.

This lack of clear information leaves medical practice administrators and IT managers without good guidance on which collaboration methods to use or how to check if they work. Without clear results, hospitals may find it hard to pick partners or tools that truly improve supply chains.

2. Insufficient Evidence on Sustainability Outcomes

Sustainability in healthcare supply chains means lowering harm to the environment, treating workers fairly, and staying financially stable. While research links collaboration to sustainable development goals, there is not enough data showing how it changes environmental or social outcomes over time.

This is important for U.S. healthcare groups that must meet rules and public demands about being responsible to the environment. Managers may worry about sustainability claims when research does not prove how collaboration creates these benefits.

3. Difficulty Linking SCC Strategies to Operational Performance

The connection between collaboration methods and daily operations is suggested but not well studied. Research often looks at results like inventory levels, patient waiting times, or cost savings separately from collaboration efforts. There are few clear models that explain how collaboration affects these measures.

Healthcare supply chains in the U.S. are complex because providers work with many vendors, insurance companies, and government agencies. Knowing how collaboration affects performance is needed to make plans that improve efficiency without hurting patient care.

4. Limited Capacity Building Focus

Capacity building means helping organizations get better at working together. This is seen as important but is not a main focus in many studies. Research often misses how hospitals and clinics can build skills and systems to keep collaboration strong over time.

This means that even when teamwork projects start, they may fail because of poor training, not using the right technology, or weak leadership support. Good capacity building would include education, better communication tools, and leaders who value collaboration in daily work.

The Role of Collaborative Innovation in Supply Chain Success

Even with gaps in research, collaborative innovation is still a main driver of improvement in supply chain work. Innovation in healthcare supply chains can take different forms:

• Process Innovation: Changing how purchasing and inventory work to cut delays and lower costs.
• Product Innovation: Making new medical items or devices together with suppliers to meet healthcare needs.
• Information Sharing: Creating platforms for open, real-time communication among partners.

One researcher, Peter Ractham, studies how information and communication technologies (ICT) can help innovation. In the U.S., healthcare IT systems are common but often not linked well. Innovations like integrated supply chain platforms and data tools can help by showing better information about inventory, demand, and supplier performance.

A Novel Framework Connecting Supply Chain Collaboration to Sustainable Development Goals

A study suggests a new way to link collaboration strategies with sustainable development goals. This helps managers pick actions based on their organization’s environmental, social, and operational needs.

For example, a large hospital network might focus on cutting carbon emissions from transport and packaging. A small clinic might focus on fair labor practices when choosing suppliers. This flexible approach lets healthcare leaders set priorities that fit their sustainability goals.

The framework also encourages managing collaboration actively instead of just forming random partnerships. It highlights the importance of building capacity as part of steady improvement.

AI and Workflow Automation in Supply Chain Collaboration: Enhancing Healthcare Supply Chains

New technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are changing healthcare operations, including how supply chains work. AI can help fill some research gaps by improving data analysis, predictions, and workflows.

Predictive Analytics for Demand Forecasting

AI systems can study past usage, patient data, and disease trends to predict future needs for medicines, supplies, and equipment. Good predictions lower the risk of running out or keeping too much stock, which costs money and causes problems. This helps U.S. providers keep the right inventory across complex networks.

Automating Routine Supply Chain Tasks

Automation can handle repeated tasks like ordering, checking purchase orders and invoices, and tracking shipments. Automating saves time and avoids errors from manual work. This frees staff to focus on tasks like managing supplier relationships and improving quality.

Enhanced Communication and Collaboration

AI platforms can help communication between supply chain partners by sharing up-to-date information on deliveries, inventory, and demands. This constant data sharing makes teamwork clearer and quicker.

For example, Simbo AI uses AI to automate phone calls in healthcare offices. Though its main work is helping with patient and provider communication, similar AI could handle vendor questions, supply requests, or scheduling related to deliveries. This reduces delays and bottlenecks.

Supporting Capacity Building through AI Tools

AI often includes training modules that help staff learn about process changes, new technology, and collaboration steps. This can support capacity building by preparing staff to work well in supply chain teams.

Future Directions for Research and Practice in the U.S. Healthcare Sector

The U.S. healthcare supply chain is large and varied, with many rules and fast technology changes. Fixing research gaps needs work in several areas:

• Measuring Effectiveness of SCC Mechanisms: Future studies should test different collaboration methods in real healthcare settings and measure results like costs and sustainability.
• Long-Term Studies on Sustainability Outcomes: Collect data over time to see how supply chain collaboration affects environment, money, and social results.
• Developing Integrated Frameworks: Build clear models that explain how collaboration activities affect things like patient service, cost, and supplier reliability.
• Capacity Building Models: Find best ways to train staff and invest in tools to help organizations move to strong, long-lasting partnerships.
• Using AI and Automation: Study how new technology can improve collaboration in U.S. healthcare and look at challenges and benefits of using these tools.

Researchers like Chetna Chauhan and Puneet Kaur, who know about sustainability and information management, and behavioral scientists like Amandeep Dhir, bring useful views to this work. Input from finance, management, and ICT experts is needed to create full approaches suited for healthcare.

Practical Considerations for Medical Practice Administrators and IT Managers

For administrators and IT managers working in U.S. medical practices, knowing these research gaps can help with planning:

• Use tools that allow real-time data sharing with supply chain partners to improve visibility and response.
• Work mainly with suppliers who focus on sustainability and innovation to match larger organizational goals.
• Adopt AI-based technologies for better forecasting and automated workflows to lower admin work and raise accuracy.
• Invest in training and capacity building so staff have the skills needed for good collaboration as technology grows.
• Partner with academic groups or research centers to try and study new collaboration models or tools, which can fill evidence gaps and improve operations.

By focusing on these steps, healthcare organizations in the U.S. can better handle complex supply chains, cut costs, improve sustainability, and support higher patient care standards.

The changing research scene shows both the potential and challenges of supply chain collaboration in healthcare. More real-world study, combined with better technology like AI and automation, will be needed to make supply chains more efficient, sustainable, and strong.