Healthcare logistics: A sector with multiple challenges

Most operations relating to healthcare logistics require the use of systems and procedures, in compliance with Good Distribution Practices (GDP). The main challenges surrounding this demanding sector include:

Compliance with strict health & safety standards

When it comes to healthcare logistics, there are health & safety standards that must be applied. Whether they concern the supply, receipt, storage or preparation of pharmaceutical products, ensuring operational safety and regulatory compliance are essential.

The healthcare logistics service provider, guaranteeing challenging deliveries

Logistics service operators specialising in healthcare must also guarantee very precise delivery conditions within tight turnaround times. The supply of healthcare products, like any goods, must happen in the right place, at the right time, but also, and most importantly, under the conditions required according to the nature of the products transported.

The need to manage sensitive products

Maintaining product integrity throughout the supply chain is crucial in the healthcare logistics industry. So, you need to be able to rely on expert service providers who can handle these complex operations.

The healthcare constitutes a huge variety of requirements, from medical devices, accessories, and spare parts, to samples, POS materials, and brochures. Staci offers a dedicated range of services to provide logistics and distribution services that are perfectly suited to all of these products for an entire ecosystem of healthcare professionals.

Supply chain management

Logistics service providers ensure the delivery of medical products, from reception to shipment, in compliance with GDP (Good Distribution Practices). This way, they’re able to guarantee the availability of spare parts, essential for equipment maintenance technicians, as well as the supplies for pharmacies.

Storage and returns management

The storage of healthcare products and the management of their returns are governed by good practices. Therefore, there are particular provisions relating to the batch releases or product quarantining in order to guarantee the integrity and quality of medical products. Similarly, the processing of medical product returns must be carried out in accordance with authorised procedures.

 Fast shipment and delivery

Shipments and deliveries within the healthcare logistics sector need to be fast, efficient and perfectly adapted to the needs of healthcare professionals, so overnight deliveries, often of emergency priority, typically with a late cut off and delivery before 8:00 the next day are required in this sector.

 Transport solutions adapted to the specific needs of healthcare companies

Whether it concerns critical logistics, sending medical devices and their spare parts, implementing multi-channel distribution including pharmacies, hospitals, or e-commerce, healthcare logistics providers must offer a wide range of transport solutions that are perfectly suited to the needs of the sector’s professionals.

Real-time order tracking

As soon as they come into stock, healthcare products must be tracked using systems capable of ensuring complete traceability of serial numbers, batches or barcodes. A real-time tracking tool and customer services that are available at all times are essential factors in overseeing medical product order tracking.

Many sectors are subject to the good practice regulations for the reception, storage, handling and distribution of healthcare products including pharmaceutical laboratories, goods for medical use or even natural healthcare products and spare parts for medical equipment.

Healthcare logistics constitutes a particularly demanding sector. It requires perfect command and understanding of the applicable regulations and broad knowledge of the industry, as well as operational performances held to high standards. To achieve this, healthcare logistics providers rely on solutions and digital tools that have been developed specifically to meet the constraints encountered by professionals in the sector. They then position themselves as essential links in a chain of the utmost importance.