Choosing Suppliers for Healthcare Supply Chains under Neutrosophic Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Method

Iruma Aflonso Gonzalez¹, Guido Guida Acevedo², Flor Betzabet Morocho Quinchuela³

¹Universidad Regional Autónoma de los Andes (UNIANDES Ambato), Ecuador

²Universidad Regional Autónoma de los Andes (UNIANDES Santo Domingo), Ecuador

³Universidad Regional Autónoma de los Andes (UNIANDES Ambato), Ecuador

Emails: ua.irumaalfonso@uniandes.edu.ec; us.guidoga67@uniandes.edu.ec; ua.flormq29l@uniandes.edu.ec

Abstract

Given the importance of suppliers to the overall viability and effectiveness of a supply chain, the assessment and choice of suppliers is a popular topic of research. Thus, in today's global climate, businesses must develop a methodical approach to evaluating and selecting the most suitable supplier based on their standards. To meet this need, businesses might turn to multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques, since deciding on a reliable provider is fundamentally an MCDM challenge. Although many examples of using these strategies for supplier assessment and choice can be found in the published literature, not enough research has been conducted on their effectiveness in the healthcare industry. In the healthcare industry, hospitals must also think about supplier-related choices to lessen hazards and threads that impact their efficacy. The VIKOR technique, which is focused on the development of a compromising answer within the context of options and assessment standards, yields excellent outcomes in situations requiring the consideration of numerous factors simultaneously. Numerous studies have shown that neutrosophic numbers actively aid in the process of making decisions. Suppliers in healthcare alternatives selection is a challenge that has been solved by the presented technique.

Keywords: Suppler Selection; Supply Chain; Healthcare; VIKOR; MCDM; Neutrosophic Sets