Achill robot

FUTURE IS HERE The Willach Consis dispensing robot, which will be installed in the Achill Sound Pharmacy.

Achill Sound chemist gets Ireland’s first robot

Anton McNulty

ACHILL pharmacists will now have more time to talk to their customers after the local outlet became the first retail pharmacist in Ireland to install an automated dispensing robot which will dispense the drugs more quickly and accurately to the customer.
The Willach Consis dispensing robot will begin work in the Achill Sound Pharmacy today (Tuesday) and is expected to reduce the time staff spend walking back and forth from the counter to dispensing shelves, allowing the pharmacists more time to talk and help patients.
The Consis robot is supplied by Helix Health, Ireland’s largest healthcare software and IT providers, and will allow the pharmacy owner, Noel Stenson, and his staff to automate their drug dispensing process. Prescription information is entered into a computer which then sends a message to the robot to quickly and accurately dispense the required drugs to an outtray on the front of the machine at the pharmacy counter.
The manufacturers say a major benefit of the machine is that it eliminates human intervention in picking the drugs, reducing the potential for medicating errors. Austin Crowe, Helix Health’s Sales Manager, said he was not surprised that Mr Stenson was the first to invest in the robot.
“At Helix we know our customers well and know that they are continuously looking for new ways to remain competitive and give their patients the best possible service. That is why we became the exclusive Irish distributor of these machines. Noel’s many years as a pharmacist are reflected in his knowledge of the business and his understanding of his patients’ needs.
He has always been innovative and forward thinking, understanding the benefits that IT can offer to the running of his business and has always been an early adopter of the new products and technologies that we have on offer,” he said.
Mr Stenson explained that pharmacies are continually evolving from a traditional supply function to an extended services operation, and is confident the benefits of the new machine will be well received by the patients.
“These days it’s much more about the extra services you can offer your patients such as monitored dosage packing, health checks, medicine use reviews and other counselling.
“There will definitely be direct value to my patients, prescriptions will be processed much faster leaving my team with more time with the patients and allowing me to redirect staff to additional value, adding services and income streams,” he explained.