Track: Supply Chain Management

Abstract

Background: Over the past few decades, the expenditure in healthcare industry has been escalating global-wide. To reduce waste and pursue efficiency, quality and profitability gains as well as to be more responsive to market demand, it is proposed by scholars to combine lean and agility together as leagility to improve performance of the healthcare supply chain.

Purpose: This study aims at synthesizing the extant literature in leagility in the healthcare industry in a comprehensive way. The purpose of the paper is threefold. First, to present and categorize leagility research in the healthcare industry. Second, to review the literature in terms of healthcare leagility definitions, barriers and enablers, and expected results. Third, identify potential research gaps.

Research design: This systematic literature review is conducted following the PRISMA checklist approach. After screening, 23 articles we considered for the analysis. Descriptive analysis and content analysis are used. 

Findings: It is found that the leagile strategy is applicable to supply chains of high complexity and high risk, where products are of long lead-time, high demand variability and high perishability. Prerequisites and impediments of leagility are categorized according to their nature. There are 11 target areas identified in leagility application in the healthcare industry. Limited cooperation between different authors is observed in current studies. 

Conclusion: Leagility in healthcare settings is still lacking empirical validation and awaits for further development. Thus, the application of leagility in a specific sub-sector under the healthcare setting is appealed for.