Things to Expect
Below are some of the key traits and services a good medical courier service should provide. A courier service needs to be professional and on time in order to deliver things quickly and reliably.
Understanding Courier Service Licensing Needs
Consistent and Professional
Always go with a service that is noted for consistency, and professionalism. Medical delivery services cannot afford to employ couriers who do not take seriously the importance of timely deliveries of medical supplies, or those who perhaps put off a needed delivery to the next day if it is getting close to the end of a shift. Check with other clients of the courier service and ask them their opinions on how professional and prompt the service is.
Upfront pricing
Medical couriers should provide an itemized list of pricing charges, some of which usually include transportation costs, but might include other hidden fees and costs as well. Customers should know what they are paying for when hiring a medical courier, and if there are extra charges for the delivery of specialized items, the pricing must reflect this.
Flexible with routes
Your medical courier should travel to your destination by the fastest route possible, and make every effort to avoid delays. In many cases, the items that medical couriers deliver mean the difference in lives and health, and patients often cannot afford delays in delivery. Route optimization, especially with unforeseen traffic, is a major plus for a medical courier.
Ability to track orders
Clients should have the ability to track all orders at any hour of any day. Medical couriers do well to provide tracking of orders via a website or mobile app for clients so that the estimated time and day of delivery are visible, and clients can make plans to be present if the courier needs a signature for delivery.
Flexible invoicing
Sometimes a client might need an item delivered regularly, or the client might change prescriptions and need to cancel an existing order in the middle of a contracted period of order and delivery. As medical situations can change overnight, clients should be able to see their delivery invoices at a moment’s notice, and those invoices must reflect any recent changes to a client’s account and deliveries.
Provide customized delivery reports
For entities, be it clients or labs, or doctor’s offices, that receive regular deliveries, accessing the specifics of delivery in a single spot or dashboard online is essential. Clients often find it very useful to know such details as proof of delivery, the number of successfully completed deliveries in the past, cost breakdowns, and trends over time. This improves accountability for the service and is a convenience for the client.
Plans for problems
The medical courier business is not only a very serious one, it is often life-saving. Plans must be in place ahead of time for when things go wrong, things that are usually out of the realm of control for both the courier and the client. Clients need the assurance that their deliveries will arrive complete and on time, and company policies regarding delayed orders are best given in writing to the client ahead of time. Client satisfaction is the most important part of any delivery service, and medical courier clients need a formal way to solve problems, which is usually available online.
Good reviews
Most people choose a service of any kind based on reviews, and customer reviews of medical courier services are some of the best ways to choose a new service. Customer satisfaction is a clear sign that the company is operating properly and satisfactorily. When someone leaves a bad review, the best reviews include a response from the company explaining their side of what happened and how they fixed the problem.
In Conclusion
Medical courier services are essential to both doctors and patients for a variety of reasons. Their timely delivery of medical items and medications often means the difference in a patient’s overall health, safety, and well-being. Choosing the best courier service for your needs is not something to be taken lightly. When selecting a medical courier, pay attention to the terms of service, the various fees for different types of delivery, and the policies and procedures in place to account for problems in deliveries, delays, and other unforeseen issues.