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Medical Devices

The flexibility a business needs to thrive and improve lives

From implants to diagnostic machines and consumables, every medical device has the potential to change someone's life for the better. Availability of products with timely and compliant delivery to a range of clinical and home delivery locations is key, as is recognizing that healthcare costs drive the need to manage inventory levels, obsolescence, and returns effectively.

Flexibility is crucial for any business. But when a product has precise requirements, is strictly regulated, and requires high levels of availability, getting the flexibility you need to control costs and optimize your operations can be difficult. This is where medical device logistics from DHL comes in. We’ve made it our business to offer medical device companies flexibility with compliant, visible, and scalable support. As a global partner, we have the size and expertise to help solve our customers’ challenges. From testing to manufacturing, shipment to returns, our fully documented and compliant process can help your businesses run seamlessly.

We provide logistics solutions designed to address current Medical Device trends such as:  

Inventory Optimisation and Obsolescence Management

Regulatory Conditions and Changes

Resilience in Today's Uncertain World

Direct-to-Patient

Patient-Centric Engagement Models

Device Lifecycle Management

Capabilities for Medical Devices Logistics

We are committed to ensuring the timely and secure delivery of lifesaving and medically necessary equipment to healthcare facilities and patients. Explore our capabilities to see what DHL could do for your organisation.

Warehousing and Transport

DHL specialises in regulatory compliance and leveraging efficiencies to optimise warehousing and transportation using secure, integrated solutions that meet the highest global standards. Controlling temperature ranges and managing sterile areas for quality and compliance is a priority. Multiple packaging configurations and transport solutions to meet speed and compliance needs, such as Air Controlnet and Medical Express, are available. Our systems maintain critical product readiness at ideal levels through full inventory visibility and stock-level optimisation.

Direct-to-Patient

Traditionally the industry has operated on a business-to-business model. A significant shift to patient-centric service delivery now demands the supply chain to be segmented to fulfill the differing requirements. Delivering medical devices directly to patients in a variety of settings enhances accessibility and convenience. DHL’s patient-centric approach provides a cost-effective and trackable domestic and international distribution network for medical devices and consumables, based on trust and reliability, to improve customer experience and cut costs.

Device Final Mile and Inventory Optimisation

Multi-node final-mile solutions for implantable devices and surgical equipment combine inventory management with customised delivery. These products are typically needed in varying combinations for each patient. Items are stored in regional distribution centers and forward stocking locations, including micro-FSLs within hospitals for specific direct-to-surgeon supply. Using what-if scenarios combined with decentralised databases, accurate network flows, and regulatory-compliant supply chains, we can reduce stockholding and provide inventory optimisation. This ensures the availability of medical devices at the point of use without overstocking or stockouts.

Aftermarket Services

Our aftermarket services for medical devices offer a comprehensive post-sales support and maintenance solution. This service ensures that medical devices continue to function optimally throughout their lifecycle. Logistics and supply chain management expertise from DHL streamlines spare parts distribution and return processes. By extending the life and performance of medical devices, DHL's aftermarket services minimise downtime, maximise efficiency, and ultimately enhance patient care. 

Capital Equipment (Demonstration and Installation) Logistics

DHL offers technical expertise, certified operations, and on-site lifecycle management. Our service includes safe delivery and return of demo units, stakeholder coordination, and device decontamination. Experienced technicians familiar with working in constrained spaces ensure medical centers continue to operate efficiently. Specifically, we focus on protecting equipment during installation, handling dangerous goods, upgrading and extending equipment capabilities, and removing and disassembling end-of-use equipment. 

Temp-Controlled Transport

Reliable transport of high-value, sensitive reagents by air or ocean can be challenging as they must be monitored for in-transit temperature fluctuations to avoid compromise and damage. DHL enables standardised, compliant, temperature-controlled, multimode shipments of these items around the world. The team manages special product needs and documentation, enables prompt customs clearance, and ensures adherence to standard operating procedures and compliance.

Explore Our Case Studies

Explore our Medical Devices case studies below to see how DHL manages logistics needs with precision. Review more Life Science and Healthcare case studies

Supply Chain Orchestration

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Inventory management

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(804.3 KB)