Efficient approach to health care industry material resource management: an empirical research

The feasibility of JIT implementation in the health care industry was examined through in-depth case studies and survey research. Specifically, this research examined two different groups in the health care industry: health care institutions that have introduced JIT philosophy into their operations and those that have not. Based on this classification, the research reveals the different impacts that the introduction of JIT philosophy has had on the health care industry's inventory management, service quality, and competitiveness. According to the research result, the introduction of the JIT philosophy in the health care industry's material management system improved that system and reduced implementation problems even though the differences between the JH and the NJH were not high. However, this research found that great potentials exist for the successful implementation of JIT philosophy for material management even though most of the JIT in the health care industry is still in its early stages. Moreover, with the maturing of the stockless material management system, differences between the JH and the NJH groups will be even more significant.