Logistics Service Protects Patient Confidentiality While Streamlining Supply Chain Process

Carriers’ love affair with a ‘delivery to your neighbour’ policy has presented one of the biggest challenges yet to the pharmaceutical and healthcare sector in terms of protecting patient confidentiality and data protection.

Both are serious issues in their own right but ones that have been further heightened as healthcare and medicines are increasingly being delivered in the community or direct to patients’ homes.

Surely the distribution of such sensitive and often vital items should be afforded the same level of confidentiality and care as is provided within GP and hospital environments. Sadly, however, that is not always the case.

In the absence of any specific instructions by the sender, any carrier nowadays can leave a package with a neighbour or in a ‘safe’ location if the recipient is out. The trend is seemingly unstoppable.

Logistics has long been seen as the Cinderella service of a business — a function that is necessary but one where, through the traditional delivery model, the only differential has been cost and reliability.

However, as the needs of the pharmaceutical industry are changing, so must the distribution process to ensure 100% confidentiality at all times while at the same time delivering cost savings.

ByBox offers a solution; through its locker network, the company has been providing a viable alternative to the traditional delivery model. 

For many years, ByBox has worked extensively within the sector, distributing parts for equipment manufacturers and promotional material and samples for pharmaceutical suppliers; all of whom have benefited from the company’s ability to develop supply chain solutions that offer benefits both in terms of cost savings and increased productivity and efficiency.

ByBox already has an established network of more than 18,000 lockers situated at over 1,500 locations in the UK to ensure that vital parts, materials and consumables are received quickly and efficiently. Customers include GlaxoSmithKline, Fujitsu and Siemens. 

Totally secure, the lockers are only accessible by key, card or an access code. Once a delivery has been made into a locker, the recipient will receive a text or email notification advising them that their goods are ready for collection. It is also the perfect solution as there is no human interaction at the time of collection and neither an address or name is required, just a contact number to provide collection instructions.

However, the full flexibility and versatility of a locker network is only as good as its IT platform. ByBox’ ground breaking supply chain platform Thinventory integrates seamlessly with its physical supply chain network, offering cohesive end-to-end reporting software to boost efficiency, through to reliability and stock transparency. Additionally, the system has a full track and trace facility via the website, providing total visibility of the supply chain, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks of the year.

ByBox helps customers reduce sameday delivery costs by up to 50%, eliminating time wasted by personnel driving to obtain parts and materials whilst at the same time helping customers reduce their carbon footprint. Deliveries can be made by ByBox pre-8 am to one its lockers or if required pre-10am direct to the customer site.

ByBox Managing Director Mark Garritt commented: “The pharmaceutical sector is highly competitive and it is essential that businesses deliver an exceptional level of service if they are to keep pace with the market.

“The ByBox offering is unique, covering all aspects of the distribution function. For the end user, it protects identity and offers anonymity, and for businesses, the assurance that their engineers and reps can collect their required materials for the day’s work ahead.

 “It is a totally flexible solution and one that ByBox is able to offer thanks to our award-winning software platform Thinventory. The system is already being embraced by a number of our customers in the pharmaceutical sector who are benefiting from our safe and secure distribution solution, which meets the demands of the marketplace.”