Medical Laboratory Equipment business buying decision-making: The case of Kenyan Public Hospitals

The aim of this study was to establish who makes procurement decisions, what resources are used while researching the business buying decision-making process in the procurement of capital medical laboratory equipment (CMLE) in public hospitals. Participants for the study were selected using purposive sampling with a view to providing insights into the explored issues. The target respondents were medical superintendents, medical laboratory technologists and procurement officers in six county referral hospitals in Kenya between May-June 2018. The findings show that medical salespersons, catalogues, and referrals from colleagues were consulted when researching CMLE procurement. Factors considered important in the business decision-making included quality, continuity of reagents supply, supplier capability, equipment costs, and ease of use. Public hospitals in Kenya should adopt participatory purchasing models with key stakeholders such as buyers, lower level employees in hospital departments, and physicians, are included in the buying decision-making.