Evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing using the analytical hierarchy process approach: A comparison between hospitals

This study aimed to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing across hospital types. The "Analytical Hierarchy Process," a multi-criteria decision-making technique, was used in the study. Decision criteria for outsourcing medical and non-medical services were prioritized based on pairwise comparative judgments from expert participants. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with 61 volunteer participants, consisting of unit managers from various types of hospitals operating in Ankara between September and December 2024. The most primary advantages of outsourcing in medical and non-medical services were "Cost Reduction" (14.01%) and "Focus on Core Activities" (13.58%) in city hospitals, "Focus on Core Activities" (14.28%) and "Cost Reduction" (11.29%) in training and research hospitals, and "Cost Reduction" (18.37%) and "Reduced Administrative Burden" (14.79%) in state hospitals. On the other hand, the most primary disadvantages of outsourcing in medical and non-medical services were determined as "Vendor (Supplier) Dependence" and "Existence of Hidden Costs" in all three hospital types. While "Hidden Costs" (29.5%) and "Supplier Dependence" (28.5%) were the most notable disadvantages in medical services especially in city hospitals, "Lack of Information Security" (20.42%) was determined as medical in training and research hospitals. The findings of the study indicate that outsourcing offers significant advantages over hospitals, such as cost savings, increased efficiency, and ease of management. However, if this process is not carefully planned, it can lead to serious security, cost, and personnel management problems. Therefore, it is recommended that outsourcing decisions be made by considering the priorities and risk factors specific to the hospital type.