Benefits of medication vending machine
Having to queue for hours at clinics or hospitals to buy medicine is a common situation in Vietnam. However, in the face of the change in shopping trends of modern consumers and fierce competition in the medical industry, medical facilities must devise measures to improve their services.
So how will the deployment of the medication vending machine model help medical facilities? Let's find out with Dropfoods through the article below.
1. The advent of automated prescription drug dispensing machine
In 1999, when had to find a pharmacy that opened at midnight to buy a common antibiotic for his daughter, Dr. Ken Rosenblum - an emergency room physician in Minneapolis felt it was unreasonable for patients to struggle in the search for medication.
With the determination to improve this inconvenience for patients, Dr. Rosenblum partnered with engineers, pharmacists, and physicians to launch InstyMeds - the world's first automated prescription drug dispensing machine.
Since the first prescription in 2001, InstyMeds has distributed more than four million prescriptions across three continents.
2. How do medication vending machines work?
After examining the patient, the doctor will prescribe and explain to the patient the medicine to take, list the side effects. The doctors then enter the prescription along with the patient's information into the e-prescribing tool integrated with the InstyMeds software and provide the patient with a code over the phone.
When the order is received, the machine will automatically calculate the dose and check the safety with the barcode three times to prevent the situation of supplying the wrong medicine. The machine then dispenses the medication in a prepackaged, labeled container.
To use InstyMeds, patients only need to enter the code on the machine's touchscreen, proceed to pay by credit card, and receive the medicine.
With practical benefits, prescription drug vending machines have received many positive feedbacks from users. Most people who have used the machine once want to use it again.
3. Benefits of deploying the medication vending machine model
For patients
The installation of medication vending machines helps users to buy medicine at any time without depending on the operating hours of the hospital, pharmacy. All medicine boxes are clearly labeled for ease of use.
Besides, patients can buy medicine immediately without wasting time queuing at crowded drug counters. This is a great solution for patients when clinics and hospitals are sensitive locations during the Covid pandemic.
For pharmacists and medical facilities
The deployment of the medication vending kiosk will help solve overcrowding in hospitals and clinics - an issue in Vietnam for many years.
One of the most practical benefits of this model is limiting the pharmacist's confusion due to the fact that they can not see the words on the doctor's prescription clearly or because of overworking and helps ensure the social distancing during the pandemic.
In addition to helping hospitals and clinics increase revenue through 24/7 medicine sales, medication vending machines also help medical facilities cut costs, save human resources so that they can focus on improving facilities and customer service.
It can be said that the medication vending machine is a win-win solution because it not only reduces the burden and increases revenue for the medical industry but also brings convenience to patients. This is a potential business model for medical facilities in Vietnam.
Reference:
“InstyMeds: Patient Focus + Minnesota Ingenuity.” InstyMeds, 2020, https://instymeds.com/about/. Accessed 2020.
