MedTech Digital Platform: Adjusting the e-procurement process in Romanian healthcare

Master thesis (2021)

Authors

B.D. Miron Technology, Policy and Management

Contributors

S. Hinrichs-Krapels Policy Analysis - TPM (supervisor 1)
A. Verbraeck Policy Analysis - TPM (supervisor 1)
V.E. Scholten Delft Centre for Entrepreneurship (supervisor 1)
A. Boru Delft Centre for Entrepreneurship (supervisor 2)
Faculty
Technology, Policy and Management
Copyright: © 2021 Bogdan Miron
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Published Date

12-07-2021

Language

English

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Faculty

Technology, Policy and Management

Abstract

With healthcare systems being regarded as one of the critical infrastructure sectors, evaluated as a multi-trillion-dollar industry, and with 5 % to 10 % of total health expenditures allocated to medical devices, it is important to pay special attention to what and how technologies are brought into hospitals. This is heavily influenced by good procurement practices, but which are still inefficient in many countries across the world. This study aims to understand and analyse the current barriers and problems in Romanian healthcare procurement, in an attempt to determine what is needed to update the e-procurement of capital medical equipment. By combining a thorough literature review and semi-structured interviews, the research provides an in-depth understanding of the barriers faced by the Romanian acquisition system in public healthcare. The results indicate that an updated e-procurement platform would offer advantages to the relevant stakeholders, however this should not be seen as the go-to solution for the current context. Other human factors, as well as system-wide problems should be addressed before implementing technological solutions, such as a digital platform for procurement of capital medical equipment.