Next Article in Journal
Forecasting Future Vegetation Dynamics under SSP/RCP Pathways under Spatially Changing Climate and Human Activities Conditions
Previous Article in Journal
Reviewing the Roles of AI-Integrated Technologies in Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Research Propositions and a Framework for Future Directions
Previous Article in Special Issue
The Procurement 4.0 Contributions to Circular Economy
 
 
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Systematic Review

Simulation of Hospital Waste Supply Chain in the Context of Industry 4.0—A Systematic Literature Review

1
GOVCOPP, DEGEIT, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
2
School of Engineering, ISEP, Polytechnic of Porto, rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4249-015 Porto, Portugal
3
Associate Laboratory for Energy, Transports and Aerospace (LAETA-INEGI), rua Dr. Roberto Frias 400, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2024, 16(14), 6187; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16146187
Submission received: 5 June 2024 / Revised: 4 July 2024 / Accepted: 16 July 2024 / Published: 19 July 2024

Abstract

Supply chain management is a crucial task for all companies, as it is essential to respond to increased demand and competitiveness. An exponential increase in hospital waste can cause very significant risks to both humans and the environment if it is not treated adequately. In this way, the efficient management of this waste can bring benefits and prevent an increase in the likelihood of disease occurring. With the growth of technology, there are various tools available to improve decision-making in the supply chain. Simulation, one of the pillars of Industry 4.0, is one of the tools being used. With the complexity of systems increasing, hybrid simulation provides more precise solutions to problems. The aim of this article is therefore to systematically research and analyze the literature on the use of simulation/hybrid simulation in supply chains in the health sector. In this way, 20 articles that approach simulation as a decision support tool in hospital waste supply chains were analyzed in the context of Industry 4.0. The results indicate that the years 2020 and 2023 had the highest number of publications (with five each) and that countries such as China and Indonesia had the highest number of documents on this topic (with five each). The topics in this research area with more related documents were environmental sciences, computer sciences and medicine. This research highlights the fundamental role of simulation approaches in improving the performance of supply chains in the healthcare sector, promoting resilience and improving healthcare outcomes for patients.
Keywords: medical waste; supply chain; industry 4.0; simulation; systematic literature review medical waste; supply chain; industry 4.0; simulation; systematic literature review

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Ferreira, A.; Ramos, A.L.; Ferreira, J.V.; Ferreira, L.P. Simulation of Hospital Waste Supply Chain in the Context of Industry 4.0—A Systematic Literature Review. Sustainability 2024, 16, 6187. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16146187

AMA Style

Ferreira A, Ramos AL, Ferreira JV, Ferreira LP. Simulation of Hospital Waste Supply Chain in the Context of Industry 4.0—A Systematic Literature Review. Sustainability. 2024; 16(14):6187. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16146187

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ferreira, André, Ana L. Ramos, José V. Ferreira, and Luís P. Ferreira. 2024. "Simulation of Hospital Waste Supply Chain in the Context of Industry 4.0—A Systematic Literature Review" Sustainability 16, no. 14: 6187. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16146187

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop