Risk management practices on supply chain disruptions in level 4 public hospitals in Homa Bay County, Kenya

Supply chain disruptions in public hospitals compromise the availability of essential medical supplies and negatively affect healthcare quality. This study investigated the effect of risk management practices: risk avoidance, risk retention, and risk reduction on supply chain disruptions in Level 4 public hospitals in Homa Bay County, Kenya. Anchored on Uncertainty Theory and Propagation Theory, a descriptive cross-sectional survey design was employed targeting 168 respondents from all 21 Level 4 public hospitals, yielding 164 valid responses. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and semi-structured interview schedules. Findings revealed moderate implementation of risk avoidance, weak and informal risk retention, and critically underdeveloped risk reduction. Supply chain disruptions were frequent, with all three practices exhibiting significant negative correlations with disruptions. Regression analysis showed the three variables jointly explained a substantial portion of disruption variance, with risk reduction emerging as the strongest predictor. The study concludes that inadequate implementation of structured risk management practices significantly contributes to persistent supply chain disruptions. Recommendations include urgent investment in digital supply chain systems, establishment of contingency financial mechanisms, and institutionalization of staff training on risk management.