Application of artificial intelligence in revolutionizing healthcare supply chains: past literature, current debate and future pathways

Artificial intelligence (AI) optimization capabilities are transforming healthcare supply chains (HSCs). However, the lack of clear guidance in academic literature on how to identify and adopt existing and emerging AI-based optimization techniques in HSCs is still an issue. This paper fills this gap by analysing 159 peer-reviewed articles published in the period from 2011 to 2025. The articles are coded to segment the research content into four structural categories: (1) the most prominent AI techniques in HSCs, (2) the possible AI techniques for HSCs, (3) the key success factors for AI implementation, and (4) the current scopes of AI-enhanced HSCs. The conceptual framework is developed on the basis of the results; these can guide the strategic implementation of AI-based optimization techniques to four key supply chain operations in the healthcare industry. The contributions and originality of this study are justified by synthesizing the studies on the use of AI in HSCs, by building a taxonomy of AI techniques in this application area, and by identifying the most important and, at the same time, least studied fields that require further research. The results and associated lessons learned aim to provide the academic community and practitioners with pragmatic guidelines to optimize HSCs using AI to enhance service delivery, decision-making, and overall operational efficiency.