Factors Driving IoT Adoption and Its Impact on Supply Chain Performance in Ekurhuleni Public Health Facilities

Background: Population growth and rising healthcare demand increasingly strain public healthcare in emerging economies. Further, poor supply visibility, frequent stock-outs, and medicine expiry weaken healthcare supply chain performance (SCP) and patient outcomes. In response, the Internet of Things (IoT) offers promising ways to improve the monitoring, distribution, and management of medical supplies. However, empirical evidence on how technological, organisational, and environmental factors influence IoT adoption and its effect on public healthcare SCP remains limited. This study examined factors influencing IoT adoption and its effect on supply chain performance in public healthcare facilities. Methods: Data were collected from 102 respondents drawn from 90 public healthcare facilities. Results: Factors associated with technological factors have the most significant influence on the adoption of IoT in public healthcare SCs. The lack of significance of organisational and environmental factors may be attributed to the early stage of IoT adoption in public healthcare SCs. Conclusions: This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of IoT adoption by highlighting the dominant role of technological factors over organisational and environmental considerations in resource-constrained public healthcare settings. From a practical perspective, the findings encourage policymakers and healthcare managers to prioritise investments in relevant ICT infrastructure to accelerate IoT adoption.