Smart governance and digital logistics in Moroccan public health: accelerating the transition toward smart cities

Objectives The study aims to explore how the digitalization of hospital logistics contributes to the development of smart governance within Morocco's public health system. It seeks to understand the extent to which digital transformation enhances the performance, transparency, and resilience of hospital supply chains, thereby supporting the broader transition toward smart cities. This research is important because it addresses a critical intersection between healthcare performance, digital governance, and sustainable urban development, areas currently prioritised in Morocco's health and digital reforms, Prior work The paper builds upon recent studies on smart governance, healthcare digitalization, and logistics performance. These studies underline the role of digital infrastructures and data-driven management in improving service delivery and institutional coordination. However, few have examined how these dynamics unfold in developing country contexts, particularly in North Africa, where institutional reforms and digital transitions coexist, Approach A qualitative exploratory approach was employed, combining documentary analysis of official reports, strategic frameworks, and legislative documents - such as Morocco's Framework Law 06-22 and Digital Morocco 2030 strategy - with semi-structured interviews conducted among logistics managers, biomedical engineers, and administrative officers in public hospitals within the Casablanca-Settat region, Results The findings show that digitalization through integrated systems, such as ERP, WMS, IoT, and AI-based tools, significantly improves traceability, interdepartmental coordination, and supply chain responsiveness. Nonetheless, persistent challenges remain, notably insufficient digital competencies among staff, technological fragmentation, and the absence of coherent data governance mechanisms, which hinder the full potential of digital transformation, Implications The results hold implications for policymakers, practitioners, and academics concerned with public sector performance and smart city development. Strengthening governance frameworks, investing in digital literacy, and ensuring interoperability among hospital information systems are essential for achieving sustainable digital transformation in healthcare logistics and Value The originality of this research lies in its integrative perspective linking digitalization, governance, and logistical performance within Morocco's health sector. It provides empirical insights into how digital logistics can serve as a lever for smart governance, offering a conceptual and practical contribution to the evolving discourse on smart, resilient, and citizen-centered health systems in emerging economies.