Article

5 Ways Working With a Healthcare Logistics Provider Can Improve Shipping

October 10, 2024
Doctor holding shipping boxes
From essential medical products coming into a non-acute healthcare facility or medical lab to items and test kits being shipped out, logistics play a significant role in delivering quality patient care. Likewise, when facilities rent or purchase new capital equipment—such as large items including diagnostic imaging equipment, lab equipment or X-ray machines—they need the most optimal shipping method.

Non-acute healthcare providers and labs that partner with a group purchasing organization can tap into logistics management contracts that cover shipping needs and provide modern solutions. For example, Provista members can benefit from contracts offered by Cardinal Health™ OptiFreight® Logistics that can lower shipping costs and improve efficiencies as well as potentially reduce the time spent on logistics.

5 WAYS A LOGISTICS COMPANY CAN IMPROVE SHIPPING

A healthcare logistics provider such as OptiFreight® Logistics offers solutions to improve shipping performance. These solutions are increasingly important in today’s environment where non-acute organizations are experiencing persistent financial challenges and pressures to identify new cost savings and efficiencies. By working with a healthcare logistics provider, facilities and labs can realize these five ongoing benefits:

1. Monitor shipper compliance and training. A healthcare logistics provider can help ensure the facility is shipping each item efficiently and selecting cost optimized approaches. “One key way to save money and improve efficiency is to analyze user compliance, namely assessing whether employees are shipping efficiently and choosing the most cost-effective shipping method,” according to OptiFreight® Logistics.

Ensuring compliance with shipping often involves providing staff training and guidance, which a healthcare logistics provider can offer. The logistics expert can help with solutions across inbound and outbound shipments. For example, for inbound shipments, OptiFreight® Logistics recommends including the third-party account number in the purchase order comment area to support billing via the preferred method. For outbound shipments, facility employees are encouraged to use the approved shipping platform to benefit from discounted rates and gain better visibility and control.

2. Focus on supplier connections. Working with a healthcare logistics provider helps facilities and labs ensure that their suppliers meet their needs and compliance requirements. “Logistics management providers are experts in this area and can engage suppliers on your behalf and do the heavy lifting for you,” according to OptiFreight® Logistics best practices.

The healthcare logistics provider can help educate suppliers on the facility’s logistics management program to foster participation and compliance. For instance, OptiFreight® Logistics can define preferred shipping methods while helping ensure supplier compliance.

3. Implement mode optimization. Facilities and labs must determine which service level is the most appropriate for their particular organization. Mode optimization determines which service level offers the most cost-effective way to ship items while ensuring they arrive on time. This is another area where healthcare logistics providers can help.

Facilities often choose their default shipping option without realizing the cost implications or considering less expensive options. “A logistics management provider will keep a close eye on shipping practices and identify cost savings opportunities,” according to OptiFreight® Logistics. The goal is to save money while benefiting from increased visibility into shipping.

4. Increase shipping volume through the logistics provider. Encouraging all shipments to take place through the dedicated healthcare logistics provider can enable ongoing savings, transparency and improvements. “This includes capturing both inbound and outbound shipments,” according to OptiFreight® Logistics. “Improving the managed volume means greater savings on shipments big and small.”

Improving and monitoring shipments requires visibility and control. Working with a healthcare logistics provider to oversee the shipments and receipts from various departments, locations and employees across the facility is essential for enhancing end-to-end shipping visibility and ensuring program compliance.

5. Leverage data and analytics. Capturing and analyzing data informs logistics decision making and ensures the best shipping rates. A healthcare logistics provider can help facilities and labs utilize data to gain insights to identify key areas for improvements in shipping.

In addition, healthcare logistics providers help ensure organizations are using the appropriate and most cost-effective shipping methods while also finding and fixing incorrect account numbers to prevent missed saving opportunities. Plus, they can verify that the best rates have been negotiated with carriers for large freight shipments while identifying ways to consolidate inbound small parcel shipments.

 
OFFERING VISIBILITY AND EFFICIENCY TO FACILITIES AND MEDICAL LABS
The right healthcare logistics provider can act as an extension of a non-acute facility or a laboratory team to ensure safe and reliable shipping, including delivering sensitive packages on time and securely. Working with a logistics specialist gives facilities and labs transparency into shipping, managing and tracking packages to identify delays and letting facilities know where packages are at any point in time.
 
Sophisticated tracking technologies used by healthcare logistics providers allow healthcare facilities and labs to monitor shipments in real time. This includes using GPS tracking and radio-frequency identification systems to provide precise location information and status updates of medical supplies, equipment and pharmaceuticals.
 
A professional logistics provider can also help determine ways for facilities to lower costs. Each healthcare organization or lab may have unique needs based on its size, specialty and location. Healthcare logistics providers can deliver tailored shipping solutions that address specific challenges, such as specialized transportation for large items or sensitive medical devices.
 
Another benefit of working with a healthcare logistics provider is that it can help determine the most efficient delivery routes and schedules. This can minimize delays, reduce transportation costs and ensure timely delivery of medical supplies, which is crucial in emergency situations.
 

“By integrating advanced tracking technologies and tailored logistics strategies, healthcare logistics providers can enable non-acute organizations to focus on their core mission—providing exceptional patient care—while leaving the complexities of shipping and logistics to the experts.”

SAVE TIME AND MONEY BY WORKING WITH A LOGISTICS EXPERT
Non-acute healthcare and lab organizations can benefit from working with a dedicated healthcare logistics provider. By outsourcing their shipping and logistics needs, facilities and labs can reclaim valuable resources such as employees’ time, streamline their operations and enhance overall efficiency. Shipping experts such as OptiFreight® Logistics offer comprehensive solutions that help ensure compliance, optimize shipping methods and leverage data analytics to drive cost savings. 
 
Collaborating with a logistics company not only helps improve the reliability and transparency of logistics but also supports the delivery of quality patient care. By integrating advanced tracking technologies and tailored logistics strategies, healthcare logistics providers can enable non-acute organizations to focus on their core mission—providing exceptional patient care—while leaving the complexities of shipping and logistics to the experts.
 
Provista members can improve their approach to logistics and elevate their shipping processes by utilizing contracts from OptiFreight® Logistics. Members can talk to their account reps to learn more about the contracts. 
 

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