Runner and collector movement
Movement is either collector-carried or coordinated through an agreed pickup arrangement, depending on volume density and urgency.
Diagnostic Sample Pickup and Delivery
The journey after the draw, coordinated and recorded.
A collected sample is not a completed collection. Until the specimen is in your laboratory's hands, in a usable condition, with its identity intact, the order is still open.
Phlebify coordinates that stretch — pickup from the point of collection, movement toward the laboratory, custody records and recorded handover — as part of the same request rather than as a separate errand.
From collection point to laboratory
- Sample collected
- Packed and categorised
- Pickup / movement starts
- Custody transfer recorded
- Laboratory handover
- Accessioned
Pickup points we coordinate from
Samples enter the movement layer from more places than a single route plan usually assumes:
- Patient homes after a home collection
- Collection centres and clinics
- Corporate and housing society camp sites
- Agreed handover points between collector and laboratory
Coverage and pickup arrangements are confirmed per partner and per city during onboarding — we do not commit to a pickup model before we know your volumes and cut-offs.
What the pickup workflow covers
Routing against real travel effort
Sequencing uses realistic travel effort rather than map distance, so laboratory cut-offs are planned for rather than missed.
Temperature-sensitive handling
Specimens are packed by transport category, with handling feasibility for your test menu confirmed in advance.
Chain of custody
Each transfer records the handing and receiving party with a timestamp, so the current holder is always answerable from the record.
Laboratory handover
Receipt is recorded against the request, including condition notes and any rejection reason.
Exceptions and recollection
Delays, damage and rejections follow defined exception paths with recorded reasons rather than phone escalation.
How the pickup model is chosen
Pickup is a trade-off between elapsed time per sample and cost per sample. We pick per area and per test category rather than applying one model everywhere.
| Model | Used when | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Collector-carried | Thin volume, urgent or stability-sensitive specimens | Fastest per sample, higher cost per sample |
| Coordinated pickup | Dense clusters with steady daily volume | Balanced time and cost |
| Handover point consolidation | Wide coverage where cost per sample matters | Lowest cost, more elapsed time and one extra custody transfer |
Idle time is the number we watch
The gap between a sample being collected and its movement to the laboratory beginning is, in most home collection operations, the largest recoverable block of time in the whole cycle — and the least measured.
Because collection and movement sit on the same request in Phlebify, that gap is visible rather than inferred. How labs can improve sample transportation sets out what to do about it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between sample pickup and sample transportation?
Pickup is collecting specimens from their point of origin and starting the journey. Transportation is the movement itself, including routing, containment and condition control. Phlebify manages them as one workflow attached to the collection request.
Are samples tracked during pickup?
Yes. Movement and custody transfers are recorded against the request, so the current holder and the elapsed time since collection are answerable from the record rather than by phone.
How are temperature-sensitive samples handled?
Specimens are packed by transport category and handling feasibility for your test menu is confirmed with your laboratory during onboarding. Where an assay's requirement cannot be met reliably, we say so before the collection rather than after.
Does Phlebify provide standalone courier pickup without collection?
Pickup is coordinated as part of the collection workflow we manage for partner laboratories. Any additional pickup requirement is scoped with your team rather than assumed.
Talk to the Phlebify team
Tell us about your collection volumes and cities — we'll walk you through how the network would support your operations.