ELMHURST, Ill. — A new national survey has found that nearly all laboratory professionals—99%—report that medical couriers impact their work on a weekly basis, underscoring the critical role logistics play in laboratory efficiency and patient care. The findings, released today by CAP Today, the publication of the College of American Pathologists, highlight the pervasive influence of medical courier reliability in clinical settings, particularly acute care laboratories.
Among the 318 lab professionals surveyed, 81% of those working in acute care settings described the impact of courier services as “significant.” The study was conducted anonymously in January and sponsored by healthcare logistics provider MedSpeed.
“These results reaffirm what we’ve heard in past surveys: that the right logistics partner can make or break lab operations,” said Jake Crampton, CEO of MedSpeed. “Healthcare logistics have a direct and often underappreciated effect on both patient outcomes and operational costs.”
Key findings include that 84% of respondents experienced a courier delay or error within the past month that interfered with their ability to deliver timely results to patients. On average, respondents reported three such incidents per month. Additionally, 56% of lab supervisors and managers said they had experienced a courier-related error in the past year that compromised an irreplaceable specimen, averaging two such incidents per year.
The survey also revealed broader consequences for lab staff and operations. Nearly half (48%) of lab professionals reported staying late to wait for delayed couriers, 41% had to request emergency (STAT) services to compensate for unreliable scheduled pickups, and 36% said they had taken it upon themselves to transport or ship specimens.
The impact extends beyond laboratories. A 2024 survey by American Nurse Journal cited by MedSpeed found that 83% of nurses reported weekly disruptions from courier issues, and 52% said those delays or errors had forced them to reschedule or cancel a medical procedure within the past year.
“Reliable logistics are the connective tissue of healthcare,” Crampton added. “MedSpeed’s focus on quality—boasting an error rate as low as 1/20th of the industry average—enables labs and clinical teams to work more efficiently, reduce costly errors, and ultimately provide better care.”
The results emphasize the importance of choosing experienced, high-performing logistics partners as labs face increasing pressure to operate faster and more accurately. With send-out and referral testing on the rise, 83% of lab managers also indicated that courier reliability significantly influences their decision to work with specialty labs.
As the healthcare system becomes more interconnected and time-sensitive, the survey results offer a timely reminder of how behind-the-scenes logistics can profoundly shape patient care delivery.
