How schedule issues affect drug logistics operations: an empirical study in hospitals in China

© Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Purpose - The drug logistics play a crucial role in the hospital service performance. It has been proved that modern logistics concept is a valid access to competitiveness. In order to enhance the comprehensive capability and core competence of hospitals, including the internal support system, there is a great need to have an in-depth and systematic study on the drug logistics system in hospitals. The purpose of this paper is to explore the current situation of the drug logistics and the drug centres operations in public hospitals in China; specifically how the organizational partnerships with the supply chain partners can affect the operational performance. Design/methodology/approach - In this study, the possibility of correlations between schedule instability, partnerships with supply chain partners, and internal drug logistics operation is investigated by modelling, with reference to the previous work of Law et al. (2009), in which collective efficacy of the performance is incorporated into the model. Findings - The findings of this study show that the drug logistics working teams in public hospitals in China have a high level of efficacy and self-confidence, while they perceive they provide good operations even at a low level of schedule nervousness. The study also reinforces the significant correlation between internal operation and partnership with customers. This is definitely useful for the development of an appropriate framework for drug logistics operation improvement in the long run. Originality/value - The study thus offers a good reference for the administrators and practitioners who are keen on improving the service operations in the healthcare sector in the region.