Ultimately, medical professionals want two key things from the devices they use: availability and integrity. With a product that’s to hand, and in good condition, they can focus on treating as many patients as possible.

However, as a result of factors like raw material and labour shortages, medical device manufacturers have faced unprecedented supply chain disruptions recently. Meanwhile, macro trends like aging populations are increasing the demand for medical procedures.

Any interruptions to the supply chain can have a negative impact on the capacity of hospitals – resulting in delayed or cancelled treatment. And while the availability of devices is just one factor in hospital scheduling, it can be a crucial one. Indeed, according to the EAHP 2023 Shortage Survey, ‘61% of European hospital pharmacists reported that the shortage of medical devices is a problem in their hospital’.

How, then, do device manufacturers ensure that their logistics are helping their healthcare customers – as well as their own businesses – to be as efficient as possible? The answer lies in the details. Details like time-definite delivery to specific hospital departments. Or routing options to keep shipments on schedule. Or the special care required for the expert handling of regulated goods. Because the more precise your distribution is, the more efficiently you can serve your customers.

To avoid delayed or cancelled procedures, medical devices are often needed at short notice and to precise and specific timeframes. At the same time, medical products can contain sensitive or perishable materials.

Fast, reliable shipping is therefore critical. In general terms, this requires a network that is broad enough to reach key points of care across the continent – by the following morning. In more specific terms, it can involve measures like dedicated vehicles for late or early pickups.

Achieving just-in-time delivery doesn’t only create a good customer experience. It can also help to cut down on unnecessary consignment stock, making supply chains more efficient.

In addition, it’s important to recognise that not all shipments need to be expedited. By combining a range of urgent and economy services, you can fit the right solution to the right shipment and balance speed and cost.

How products get into the hands of the right people is particularly important in healthcare, so the final metres can often be the most significant.

Medical device manufacturers can add value by delivering their products to specific departments or locations within a hospital or clinic, thereby getting their product to the actual point of care.

Moving medical devices can mean moving hazardous materials such as radioactive isotopes, lithium batteries or biohazardous waste or materials. This comes with added regulatory requirements and technical challenges. If these sensitive shipments are found to be non-compliant or compromised in any way, products risk being ruined, while patients at the end of the supply chain could face delays. It’s therefore crucial to work with a transportation partner who knows how to handle dangerous goods, monitor and maintain temperature and other conditions, and comply with regulations across borders.

You can’t manage or optimise what you can’t see. Modern tracking solutions enable you to pinpoint the location of your products, while giving you accurate, end-to-end monitoring of high-value shipments. This can enable you to keep customers up to date, of course. But you can also analyse this data to identify patterns and ultimately make better business decisions. For example, could a direct injection solution be a more cost-effective approach to sending goods to certain markets?

Visibility of distribution can also mean more than just the tracking of shipments. It can include a clear picture of carrier costs, or evidence of where shipments risk being delayed, or an up-to-date understanding of inventory levels. Digital tools, such as online portals, can – and should – help to streamline everything from booking to billing, and customs clearances to managing stock levels. All smoothing the process of getting goods from A to B.

Precision comes in many forms. There’s the time a shipment arrives, the exact location, and the conditions in transit. Staying abreast of the detail is a challenge. But with the right level of visibility and control, you can move your products in the way that works best for hospitals, patients and your business.

At FedEx, we combine expertise in medical device distribution with an unrivalled network capability. If you’d like to bring precision to your medical device distribution, get in touch.