A courier round designed only by distance can miss collection times, waiting and the laboratory's acceptance window. Gather the lab's specimen instructions for each test before designing the route.
Build the time window from actual events
Record branch collection, courier departure, transfers and laboratory receipt using one time format. Compare traffic and branch opening hours with completed rounds, calculating collection-to-analysis time for each specimen.
Set the sequence by test and branch workload. Put specimen type, pending workload, collection time and central-lab acceptance time on the route sheet. If one round cannot meet every protocol window, reschedule specimen groups or pickup times.
Define a delay plan in advance. Write who to call and which record governs specimen holding if a vehicle fails, a branch is closed or a delay occurs. Notify the laboratory of deviations and leave acceptance to the test-protocol owner.
