There are now more automation options available to pharmacies than ever before. From robotic dispensing and automated medication storage to digital prescription management, MDS packaging and prescription collection, technology can support many different parts of the pharmacy workflow.
But having more options does not necessarily make the decision easier. A pharmacy might know that it needs to improve efficiency without knowing exactly where automation would have the greatest impact, while another may already have a particular type of technology in mind without first considering whether it addresses the problem that is actually affecting the pharmacy. The best place to start is therefore not with a machine, but with the pharmacy itself.
Start by identifying the problem
Before looking at specific automation systems, it is worth asking a simple question: where is the pharmacy losing the most time? That could be staff searching for medication, manually preparing MDS packs, dealing with prescription collection queries or repeatedly moving stock around the dispensary. It could also be something less obvious; a process might only take a few minutes each time, but if the same task is repeated hundreds or thousands of times each month, the total workload can become substantial.
The recent experience of a pharmacy in Leeds is a good example. The pharmacy introduced scan-to-shelf technology partly to address repeated patient queries about whether prescriptions were ready. By improving prescription tracking and visibility, the pharmacy reported fewer queries and more time for patient care.
The technology was useful because it addressed a specific problem. That is the mindset pharmacies should take when considering automation. Rather than starting with a particular machine and trying to find a use for it, identifying where staff time is being lost can help determine what type of solution could genuinely improve the pharmacy.
Look at the whole workflow
Once a bottleneck has been identified, the next step is to understand what surrounds it. A pharmacy process rarely exists in isolation, and changing one part of the workflow can have an impact elsewhere.
Take dispensing as an example. Automating medication retrieval may reduce the time spent finding stock, but the medication still needs to be received, stored, loaded, dispensed, checked and supplied. Similarly, automating MDS packaging can reduce manual filling, but the pharmacy still needs to manage prescriptions, medication changes, checking and the finished packs.
This is why an automation investment should be considered in the context of the entire workflow. A solution that makes one task significantly faster may have less impact than expected if another part of the process immediately becomes the new bottleneck.
Understanding how each stage connects to the next can help pharmacies identify where automation will have the greatest overall benefit.
Decide what really needs automating
Not every pharmacy problem requires automation. Sometimes a workflow can be improved simply by changing the way a task is organised, while in other situations digital software may be enough. For more repetitive physical processes, a dedicated automation system may provide a much greater benefit.
The important thing is to match the solution to the problem. Prescription management, dispensing, MDS, stock storage and collection all involve different processes and therefore require different approaches. There is no reason for a pharmacy to automate something simply because the technology is available if it does not address a meaningful operational need.
Our guide to what can be automated in a pharmacy looks at the different areas where technology can support the wider pharmacy workflow.
Consider the people using the system
An automation project does not happen in isolation from the pharmacy team. Staff need to understand how the system works, what their responsibilities are and how their existing workflow will change. The objective is not simply to make a machine perform a task, but to improve what the pharmacy team can achieve with the time and resources available to them.
For example, if dispensing automation reduces the amount of time staff spend retrieving medication, that capacity only becomes useful if the team can use the additional time elsewhere. That could mean more patient consultations, clinical services, stock management, prescription checking or other responsibilities.
Community Pharmacy England’s current digital roadmap similarly emphasises usability, reducing administrative burden, supporting patient care and ensuring technology works effectively for pharmacy teams.
Think about the physical pharmacy
Technology also has to fit the building. Available floor space, ceiling height, access routes, storage requirements and the position of existing equipment can all affect whether a particular system is practical, particularly when considering larger dispensing or storage systems.
A pharmacy may find a particular machine impressive on paper, but if installing it creates an awkward workflow or removes space that the team relies on every day, the overall result may not be what was expected. The same principle applies to smaller systems: a technology solution does not need to dominate the dispensary to be useful.
The Leeds scan-to-shelf example demonstrates how a relatively focused change can improve the workflow without fundamentally changing the physical layout of the pharmacy.
Consider how the technology fits with existing systems
Modern pharmacy automation rarely operates completely independently. Pharmacy teams may already be using a PMR, prescription management software, barcode scanning, stock control systems or other digital tools, so the ability of new technology to work alongside those systems can be an important consideration.
Integration can affect how much manual data entry is required and how easily information moves between different parts of the workflow. It is worth asking what information needs to be shared, how the systems communicate and what additional steps staff will need to complete.
The aim should be to create a connected workflow rather than simply adding another isolated system. A new technology should make the pharmacy easier to manage, rather than introduce another process that staff have to work around.
Think about where the pharmacy is going
Automation should solve today’s problem, but it also needs to make sense for the pharmacy’s future. A pharmacy considering MDS automation, for example, may be looking at a growing patient base rather than its current workload alone. A pharmacy investing in dispensing automation may be planning around future prescription volumes or expanding clinical services.
Thinking about future requirements can help avoid choosing a system that only works for the pharmacy at its current size. That does not necessarily mean buying the largest or most sophisticated system available; it means understanding where the pharmacy expects its workload and services to go and choosing technology that can support that direction.
This is particularly important when an automation system becomes part of the pharmacy’s core workflow. Changing or expanding that system later may be more complicated than choosing a solution that has been considered with future requirements in mind from the beginning.
Compare the right things
Once the problem has been identified and the workflow understood, it becomes much easier to compare potential solutions. Machine speed may be important, but it should sit alongside other considerations such as:
- Capacity — can the system handle the pharmacy’s workload?
- Footprint — can it fit comfortably into the available space?
- Workflow — does it make the overall process easier rather than moving the bottleneck?
- Integration — can it work with the pharmacy’s existing systems?
- Flexibility — can it adapt to changes in medication, volume or service?
- Staffing — will the team be able to use it effectively?
- Future requirements — will the solution continue to make sense as the pharmacy develops?
Looking at these factors together can provide a much clearer picture than simply asking which machine is the fastest. The most technically impressive system is not necessarily the one that will make the biggest difference to an individual pharmacy.
Automation should solve a problem, not create another one
The most successful automation projects are not necessarily those involving the most technology. They are the ones where the technology addresses a genuine problem within the pharmacy.
That could mean a dispensing robot reducing repetitive medication retrieval, MDS automation reducing manual packaging work, prescription management software making it easier to locate and track medicines, or something as focused as scan-to-shelf reducing unnecessary prescription-status queries. The technology is different, but the principle is the same: find the problem first, then find the right solution.
For pharmacies, this approach can also make automation easier to justify. Instead of asking whether a particular piece of equipment is worth the investment in isolation, the pharmacy can consider what it is currently spending in staff time, space and resources on the problem and what could realistically improve if the process were redesigned.
Finding the right automation solution
At AcornRX, we believe pharmacy automation should be built around the pharmacy rather than the other way around. That means understanding the current workflow, the pharmacy’s physical space, its prescription and medication profile, its staffing requirements and where it wants to be in the future.
Our range covers different parts of the pharmacy workflow, including dispensing automation, MDS, prescription management, prescription collection and medication storage. The right combination will depend on what the pharmacy is trying to achieve, which is why understanding the wider operation is an important part of finding the right solution.
If you’re exploring pharmacy automation but aren’t sure where to begin, our guide to what can be automated in a pharmacy provides an overview of the different areas where technology can support the workflow. From there, the next step is to understand which of those areas could make the biggest difference to your own pharmacy.
Find out more about pharmacy automation from AcornRX and explore how the right technology could fit into your pharmacy workflow.
