In the digital age, it seems like we’ve heard it all – from flying cars to drone delivery service. But guess what? That’s only the beginning. Technology is expected to make innumerable advances in the years to come, and what we will see remains unknown until it’s introduced to the world. While some technology developments may be viewed as a gimmick or trend, some serve a much greater purpose – to improve the lives of people.
In health care, one pharmacy in South Africa is using digital to make people’s lives a little easier by offering a simple way to get their prescriptions with machines that resemble an ATM, termed Pharmacy Dispensing Units. This unprecedented technology, created by experts from Right to Care and Right ePharmacy, with the Gauteng Department of Health, is designed to lift some of the heavy weight off patients by making prescription pick-up a convenient, stress-free task. Medications are vital to patients fighting long-term conditions, such as HIV, and these innovative pharmacies eliminate the nuisance of having to wait at the doctor’s office for long periods of time.
Here’s how it works:
· “Patient scans barcode ID book, ID card or pharmacy card and enters PIN
· Patient talks to a remote pharmacist
· The prescription and or items are selected
· The medicine is robotically dispensed and labelled and drops in the collection slot
· Patient takes receipt which indicates next collection date.”
Many years ago, the concept of an ATM pharmacy was unheard of. Today, it’s not far-fetched, and fortunately, it’s changing people’s lives for the better. With all the technological advances we’re seeing today, whether we love or hate them, it’s hard to dispute that the ATM pharmacy is making the world a better place.
Want more examples of how technology makes the world a better place? Check out these articles:
How Technology is Enriching Our World
Making the World Better Through Technology – Tokyo 2020 Olympics
