EFFECTS OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ON THE PROCUREMENT OF PHARMACEUTICAL DRUGS IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN KENYA

Abstract

The use of information communication technology in organizations has been found to have far reaching effects in meeting customer needs in terms of service provision. It has enhanced communication along the supply chain hence sharing of real-time information. In procurement it has lead to better inventory management techniques, easy communication with internal and external customers and faster order processing. The general objective of this study was to find out the effect of information communication technology on the procurement of pharmaceutical drugs in public hospitals, Kisii County, Kenya. The research design for the study was nonexperimental in which a descriptive cross-sectional study was done. The accessible population was all the 114 public hospitals in Kisii County. The study used stratified random sampling to categorize the accessible population into district hospitals, sub-district hospitals, health centers and dispensaries. Simple random sampling was then used in each stratum to select cases for inclusion in the main sample size of twenty percent of the accessible population. Paper-based questionnaires were used to obtain raw data. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, that is, frequencies, percentages and means. Findings were presented in tables and figures. The study revealed that inventory management, order processing and information processing and communication are important areas in the procurement of pharmaceutical drugs. Regarding the information processing and communication technologies, it was found out that both the traditional and the modern electronic and internet-based technologies are used in most healthcare facilities. Some district hospital uses the intranet technology for purposes of information sharing internally while others don’t. No facility uses the internet-based extranet technology to link with suppliers. But however, all facilities use the public internet to link with theirsuppliers of pharmaceutical drugs. The modern electronic and internet-based technologies are thought to have brought about some improvements in order placement and tracking, communication and information sharing, gathering of information about quantities and specifications of orders to be made, counting the on-hand inventory and maintenance of appropriate amounts of all type of pharmaceutical drugs. However, the traditional modes of information processing and communication are more used when it comes to inspection of new deliveries than the electronic and internet-based technologies. In regard to the findings of the, it is then necessary to have knowledge of the suppliers side for a much deeper understanding of the whole procurement process of pharmaceutical drugs. Software that can scan the barcodes of pharmaceutical commodities needs to be used by the health facilities to improve on the inspection process rather than using the labor-intensive traditional modes.