Buy-side barriers to e-business technology in the healthcare sector

In recent years, the healthcare sector has undergone a period of rapid technological change. However, not all areas of healthcare demonstrate the same propensity to adopt technological innovations that effect operational efficiencies. The procurement function is one area where the adoption of innovative e-business technologies, such as e-markets, can bring about efficiency gains and cost savings to buyers over traditional means. Yet, such benefits cannot be realised unless healthcare service providers are able to adopt and assimilate such technologies successfully. This paper explores the factors that impede buy-side adoption and use of e-markets in the UK healthcare sector. The study is based on 15 in-depth interviews with senior level executives in NHS Trusts and e-market organisations that were analysed using qualitative data analysis software. The paper contributes to the literature on the organisational adoption dynamics of innovative technologies and e-procurement. The study presents academics, practitioners and other professional stakeholders with an interest in technology adoption in the healthcare and wider public sector with an opportunity to gain more understanding of barriers to the adoption of an e-business technology in order to identify practical means by which such barriers can be moderated.