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The Future is Now: Pharmacy Direct leads the way in Robotic Medication Dispensing

15 May 2024

Pharmacy Direct Showcases the Future of Healthcare with its Automated Medicine Dispensing System

Pharmacy Direct, a subsidiary of the Afrocentric Group and specialised pharmacy, at the forefront of pharmaceutical innovation, continues to revolutionise medication dispensing through the use of robotics. In 2021, Pharmacy Direct became the first and remains the only pharmacy in South Africa to implement a combination of robotic systems redefining the standard of care in medication management.

These state-of-the-art robots utilise advanced algorithms and precision engineering to dispense medications accurately and efficiently, significantly reducing the risk of medication errors, optimising the storage of medication, improving productivity and reducing the time from script received to receipt of medication.

Through this modernisation effort, Pharmacy Direct, currently processes 180 000 scripts a month (on average 9 000 per day) in the private division with the capability to process up to 16 000 scripts a day. Pharmacy Direct’s public division, through their partnership with the National Department of Health, helped build the Central Chronic Medicines Dispensing and Distribution (CCMDD) programme which provides care for up to 1.9 million patients.

With adherence to therapeutic regimes often being the single biggest factor in a patient’s response to treatment, Pharmacy Direct plays a critical role in enabling improving outcomes. Through automation of dispensing, remote medication delivery, patient education and empowerment, Pharmacy Direct is able to remove some of the largest barriers to medication adherence including:

• Cost: Pharmacy Direct has no delivery or admin fees as well as highly competitive dispensing fees
• Access: They provide deliveries across all nine provinces including Main Centres, Townships, Suburbs and Outlying Areas
• Lack of education and awareness: With 150 clinically trained team members, Pharmacy Direct provides personalised and dedicated Pharmacist support.

About Pharmacy Direct:

Pharmacy Direct is a specialised pharmacy leveraging cutting-edge robotics to revolutionise medication dispensing. With more than 20 years’ experience and a team of over 150 clinically trained staff, Pharmacy Direct is dedicated to enhancing medication adherence, improving efficiency and quality and driving positive outcomes in healthcare delivery. Pharmacy Direct’s innovative approach to pharmaceutical automation ensures accuracy and precision in medication dispensing, setting a new standard of excellence in patient care. Pharmacy Direct headquarters are in Centurion. Visit www.pharmacydirect.co.za for more information.

For media enquiries, please contact Ansie van der Merwe at [email protected] or 079 898 9528.