Examining the impact of digital procurement on environmental sustainability – a case study on the UK healthcare sector

Purpose <br/>Environmental pollution and climate change resulting from rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are among the major challenges facing countries globally. The healthcare sector is responsible for nearly 5% of global GHG emissions. In the UK, the NHS is one of the largest single emitters of carbon, accounting for 5.4% of the country’s total carbon emissions and 40% of all public sector emissions. Implementing efficient and effective measures to minimise the environmental footprint of the healthcare sector has therefore become critical. The adoption of Digital Technologies (DT) in the procurement process is increasingly seen as a way to enhance Environmental Sustainability (ES). However, few studies have examined the impact of DT on ES in healthcare. This study aims to explore both the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ of digital technologies in enhancing sustainable procurement in healthcare. <br/><br/>Research approach <br/>In the first stage, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) using the PRISMA four-phase model was conducted to develop a ‘Digital Procurement Model’. A total of 34 peer-reviewed articles were carefully selected and analysed to support the model’s development. In the second stage, a secondary research-based case study of the UK healthcare sector was carried out, utilizing 114 sustainability-related reports, including several key NHS digital reports and relevant use cases. Using the developed Digital Procurement Model, these reports were analysed to understand the practical adoption of digital procurement practices and their impact on environmental sustainability. <br/><br/>Findings and originality <br/>The findings reveal that digital procurement strategies in healthcare are increasingly being leveraged to support environmental sustainability goals. Cloud-based platforms, such as Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS), are used to gather supplier data on carbon and resource management across product lifecycles. Sustainability criteria are now embedded in electronic tender documents, while Electronic Document Management Systems such as e-Tendering and e-Catalogues contribute to reducing paper usage and related waste. Procurement decisions have become more precise with the use of technologies like RFID-led stock management, electronic patient records, e-prescribing, e-repeat dispensing, and e-consent systems, all of which help minimize resource waste. Some hospital trusts have integrated carbon footprint analysis into their procurement systems to monitor emissions in real-time. Despite these advancements, the broader adoption of emerging technologies such as AI, ML, and Big Data Analytics, and Blockchain remains limited. The sector currently lies between the planning and early adoption stages, due to issues such as limited investment, integration challenges, supplier readiness, and concerns around data security and privacy. <br/><br/>Research impact <br/>This study makes a significant contribution to the literature by enhancing our understanding of the impact of digital procurement on environmental sustainability in healthcare, including the adoption challenges and ethical concerns that need to be addressed. <br/><br/>Practical impact The research findings can serve as an impetus for healthcare institutions to integrate or better leverage digital technologies to enhance environmental sustainability. Procurement professionals can also benchmark their existing procurement processes against the proposed model to identify gaps in digital resources.