Introduction

Medical delivery is a critical service in any nation because it determines how quickly medical supplies are delivered to consumers in the market. One of the nations where medical delivery is a key service is Germany (Weller et al., 2022). This is because a significant proportion of the nation’s population suffers from various health conditions that require constant use of medication (Weller et al., 2022). For example, 40% of all deaths in Germany are attributed to cardiovascular diseases, meaning that a large number of people in the country suffer from these diseases (Weller et al., 2022). These people need access to medication to avoid complications or even death. This paper examines medical deliveries in Germany, with focus on the cost of the medical delivery service, the companies that provide this service, the license needed from the Ministry of Health, problems these companies go through, solutions to these problems and advantages and disadvantages.

Medical Deliveries in Germany

There is little research carried out on the medical deliveries in Germany. However, this does not imply that the service is unavailable in the country. Rather it is an area that scholars have largely overlooked. The possible reason is the dynamic nature of this service, which possibly makes it hard to effectively study (Feger, 2022). For example, while medical deliveries may be focused on healthcare facilities, based on information provided on the websites of some companies, these deliveries are also to individual customers. In other words, one can order medication from a pharmacy and have them delivered to them (Feger, 2022). This makes it a challenging field to examine, which discourages researchers. Alternatively, it is possible that researchers have simply failed to focus their attention on this key area in the medical field.

Companies That Provide Medical Deliveries Services in Germany

While there almost nonexistent research on medical deliveries in Germany, it can be deduced from the few sources available, although most of them are not reputable, that medical deliveries service is a significantly developed sector. This is reflected in the number of companies that provide the medical deliveries service. Some of the companies that provide medical deliveries include MAYD, TTM Medical Logistics, and trans-o-flex. According to its website, MAYD is a pharmacy delivery service company (MAYD, n.d). It works with local pharmacies to deliver medications to consumers at their door step. It can be deduced that this company is focused on the final consumer of medications (MAYD, n.d). In other words, one can order medicines from a pharmacy through the MAYD’s app and have their drugs delivered.

TTM Medical Logistics, on the other hand, is a bigger company and its services go beyond simply delivering medications to consumers. From the firm’s website, apart from delivering medications, the company is also involved in warehousing services (TTM Medical Logistics, n.d). It can be deduced from its website that the company works with large pharmaceutical companies that sell their products to healthcare facilities and pharmacies (TTM Medical Logistics, n.d). Its services are not limited to Germany. Rather it delivers products to the whole of Europe and many parts of the world.

Lastly, trans-o-flex is a retail logistics service company in Germany and it specializes in delivering medical supplies to firms’ head offices and to customers (Trans-o-flex, n.d). While the company provides general logistics services, it has a health express section that focuses on exclusively on pharmaceutical products.

The Cost of Medical Deliveries Service in Germany

There is no information on the general cost of medical deliveries service in Germany and this is probably because each company charges differently based on the service delivered. For example, based on the examination of the three companies above, it is evident that while some companies simply deliver products to customers, others provide additional services such as repackaging, storage, and general handling (Li et al., 2020). Some firms also provide specialized equipment for transporting medical supplies to customers. As such, the cost for each firm varies.  The distance covered may also be another factor that determines the cost of the service. It is probably for this reason that the above companies have not provided the prices for their services. Rather, the prices are likely determined by the amount of products ordered and the distance of the destination the products have to be delivered to.  However, from the eurosender website, the cost of sending a package weighing 1 kg within Germany is €11.82 for the regular service which takes 1 to 3 days (Eurosender, n.d). If one wants their goods to be delivered in one day, the cost increases to €27.69.

License Needed From the Ministry Of Health

Any individual or organization engage in selling or any providing any service related to drugs, which includes shipping, must obtain a license of operation. This license is provided by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, which operates under the Ministry of Health (Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, 2024). For one to get the license, they have to apply, providing additional information that helps to determine their eligibility.

Problems Medical Deliveries Service Companies Go Through and Solutions

The main problem that medical deliveries service companies face are compliance challenges and managing time-sensitive deliveries (Mohammad, Nazih Diab, Elomri & Triki, 2023). For a company to be given the license, it must meet certain criteria, among them being the specialized equipment to handle medical products. On the other hand, some drugs are supposed to be delivered within a certain time, which makes it challenging.

The solution to compliance challenges is to develop systems that meet the desired standards. This includes investing in specialized equipment (Mohammad, Nazih Diab, Elomri & Triki, 2023). On the question of time-sensitive deliveries, companies should invest in faster means of transport or establish delivery points that allow them to store supplies and deliver desired quantities to customers within the desired time.

Advantages and Disadvantages

The main advantage of medical delivery service in Germany is it has improved access to healthcare. People can now get their medication at a moment’s notice. This helps to avoid problems that come with lack of medication (Mohammad, Nazih Diab, Elomri & Triki, 2023). On the other hand, the disadvantage of this service is any errors could result in dire consequences (Li et al., 2020). For example, the companies have to be extra careful not be mix up orders as people may end getting wrong medications, resulting in complications and even death.

Conclusion

Essentially, medical deliveries are a growing sector in Germany as reflected in the growing number of companies providing the service.  Some of the companies are MAYD, TTM Medical Logistics, and trans-o-flex. The cost of the service varies depending on the amount of goods, the urgency, and possibly the distance covered. The provider of medical deliveries service must obtain a license of operation from the Federal Institute of Drugs and Medical Services.  The main advantage of the medical deliveries service is it has improved access to medical drugs. However, there is the risk of errors which may be costly.