A pharmacy's delivery operation is an extension of its clinical service. The courier who drops off a patient's blood pressure medication is the last touchpoint in a chain that began with a physician visit, a diagnosis, and a prescription. Getting that last link right matters — both for patient outcomes and for your pharmacy's reputation.
Question 1: Are They Healthcare-Specific?
A courier that also delivers restaurant food, office supplies, and parcels isn't wrong — but they aren't optimized for healthcare. Their drivers may not know the handling protocols for controlled substances, biologics, or refrigerated medication. Their dispatch system prioritizes volume over timing sensitivity. Ask your prospective courier: what percentage of your volume is healthcare?
Question 2: What's Their Chain of Custody Process?
If a patient calls to say they never received their medication, can your courier tell you who signed for it, when, and where? Photo confirmation at delivery is a minimum standard. Electronic proof of delivery that syncs to your pharmacy management system is better. A driver who scribbles in a paper log is not good enough for a controlled substance delivery.
Question 3: How Do They Handle Cold-Chain Items?
Ask specifically about their equipment — not their policy, their equipment. What insulated carriers do they use? Do they use phase-change materials or ice packs? How do they handle deliveries on a -25°C January morning in Edmonton?
Question 4: What Is Their Response Time for STAT Requests?
Not average delivery time — STAT response. When a patient calls at 4:30 PM because they forgot to refill and are out of insulin, how long until a driver is dispatched? Get a number and test it.
Question 5: Do They Have Liability Coverage?
Courier companies should carry cargo insurance and general liability. For a pharmacy, you want to understand how loss or damage claims work for prescription medications — which have regulatory requirements around disposal and replacement that general cargo claims don't address.
Question 6: Who Do You Call When Something Goes Wrong?
Ask for the after-hours escalation number, not the main line. If your courier can only take complaints during business hours, you'll find out what that means when your most urgent delivery goes wrong on a Saturday afternoon.
