Industry 4.0 in the supply chain: a proposal for the management of healthcare with a focus on materials and medicines

Purpose The objective of this paper is to investigate how Industry 4.0 technologies can contribute to solve the problems of managing materials and medicines in the hospital supply chain, identifying opportunities for their adoption, evaluating their potential and impacts on this segment. This paper also plans to investigate the challenges involving change management, financial impacts and major changes in the process with the introduction of new technologies. Design/methodology/approach The research carried out a literature review using the CAPES Periodicals portal, which includes renowned scientific bases, like Scopus and Web of Science. The intention was to identify problems in the logistics of materials and medicines in hospital pharmacy. In addition, a second search was carried out in papers related to Industry 4.0 and the supply chain. Subsequently, it was listed how Industry 4.0 technologies could influence the management of the hospital supply chain, on materials and medicines. Findings The new technologies of Industry 4.0 identified in the research can contribute to the improvement of the hospital management supply chain, benefiting from a higher level of automation, control and security presented in the research. Thus, the article addresses a new perspective in the management of materials and medications in hospital pharmacy, adding value to the topic, as new technologies can provide more safety to patients, savings for hospital management, reducing waste and environmental impacts. Originality/value The automation of the supply chain, in the materials and medicines segment, in hospital environments, adopting Industry 4.0 techniques, will make it possible to differentiate hospital management, generating great added value, benefiting the entire chain. The combination of technologies such as IoT, BigData and artificial intelligence, applied to the management of materials and medicines, will allow real-time management; consumption and stock estimates; more agile and reliable decision-making process; greater economic efficiency, in addition to contributing to patient safety.