Birhanu Yohannes, Gizaw Tafesse, Teshome Dawit, Boche Bekele, Gudeta Tadesse
Merawi Hospital, West Gojjam, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia.
Last Mile Project, Cordaid Ethiopia, Jimma, Ethiopia.
J Pharm Policy Pract. 2022 Jul 8;15(1):44. doi: 10.1186/s40545-022-00440-0.
Information is crucial in enhancing partnership, reducing uncertainties and inventory costs, improving order fulfillment, and increasing customer satisfaction. However, there is a scantiness of studies on how information sharing affects pharmaceutical supply chain practices and performance. Hence, this study aimed to examine the mediating effect of information sharing between supply chain integration and operational performance.
We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study complemented with a qualitative assessment between May and July 2021. The study populations (n = 343) were selected employees working at the Ethiopian pharmaceutical supply agency's head office and selected hubs. The quantitative data were collected by self-administered five-point Likert-scale questions and analyzed using SPSS-version 23. The mediation effect was determined using sequential linear regression based on the Baron and Kenny stepwise approach. A 95% confidence interval and a p-value less than 5% were used to determine statistical significance. We gathered the qualitative data through in-depth face-to-face interviews with nine key informants and analyzed them using a thematic analysis technique.
Among 320 completed questionnaires returned (with a response rate of 93%), we used 288 in the analysis. Of the respondents, 97 (33.7%) disagreed that information sharing with the agency is simplified. One hundred seventeen (40.6%) disagreed that customers share information via an online system. Most respondents (76.4%) agreed that internal integration in the agency reduced total order time. Information sharing (β = 0.270, p < 0.001), customer integration (β = 0.265, p < 0.001), and internal integration (β = 0.151, p < 0.001) were predictor variables that had a direct positive effect on operational performance. Information sharing posited a partially mediating role between customer integration and operational performance with β = 0.136 at p < 0.001. Data quality problems, human-resource-related issues, and natural and human-made calamities were the major challenges affecting information sharing and the overall supply chain practices.
Customer integration, internal integration, and information sharing influenced operational performance positively. Although coordination among the units in the agency is reasonable, there was a lack of communication and quick response from partners, as well as data quality problems and the absence of an automation system in most health facilities. The key informants suggested end-to-end supply systems connections with partners through Enterprise Resource Planning and other means.
信息对于加强合作关系、降低不确定性和库存成本、提高订单履行率以及提升客户满意度至关重要。然而，关于信息共享如何影响药品供应链实践和绩效的研究却很少。因此，本研究旨在考察信息共享在供应链整合与运营绩效之间的中介作用。
我们在2021年5月至7月期间进行了一项分析性横断面研究，并辅以定性评估。研究对象（n = 343）为埃塞俄比亚药品供应机构总部及选定中心的在职员工。定量数据通过自行填写的五点李克特量表问题收集，并使用SPSS 23版本进行分析。中介效应采用基于巴伦和肯尼逐步法的序列线性回归确定。使用95%置信区间和小于5%的p值来确定统计显著性。我们通过与九名关键信息提供者进行深入的面对面访谈收集定性数据，并使用主题分析技术进行分析。
在回收的320份完整问卷中（回复率为93%），我们在分析中使用了288份。在受访者中，97人（33.7%）不同意与该机构的信息共享已简化。117人（40.6%）不同意客户通过在线系统共享信息。大多数受访者（76.4%）同意该机构的内部整合缩短了总订单时间。信息共享（β = 0.270，p < 0.001）、客户整合（β = 0.265，p < 0.001）和内部整合（β = 0.151，p < 0.001）是对运营绩效有直接正向影响的预测变量。信息共享在客户整合与运营绩效之间起到部分中介作用，β = 0.136，p < 0.001。数据质量问题、人力资源相关问题以及自然和人为灾害是影响信息共享和整体供应链实践的主要挑战。
客户整合、内部整合和信息共享对运营绩效有积极影响。尽管该机构各部门之间的协调较为合理，但合作伙伴缺乏沟通和快速响应，以及数据质量问题和大多数医疗机构缺乏自动化系统。关键信息提供者建议通过企业资源规划和其他方式与合作伙伴建立端到端的供应系统连接。
