Covid illness 2019 (COVID-19) has caused the US medical care industry to remain alert since the first case was identified in January 2020. It's pivotal that Pharmacies across the nation become familiar with the upsides of automated packaging, to be prepared for when a pandemic, for example, COVID-19 happens once more.
During a period wherein "contactless" and "contact free" have become the God words, automated packaging machines do exactly that. Packaging and verification of medication is done automatically through these machines, verifying the size, color and shape of each pill in the pouch to check them quickly, accurately, and safely. While manual packaging methods touch each patients’ prescriptions while automated systems keep patients and pharmacists safe by reducing contact. In addition to providing less hands-on interaction with medications, automation also greatly reduces the time-consuming process of manual verification.[1]
Automated packaging is a cost-effective way that pharmacies can recover financially after experiencing reduced revenues and high operating costs from the pandemic.[2] Brought down expenses of automated systems put automation at go after even the littlest of pharmacies and community pharmacies will become more secure and more productive as innovation keeps on developing.
Automated packaging helps pharmacies and their patients hold fast to social distancing rules. As patients may be tired of making numerous visits to the pharmacy each month due to the risk factors of the covid-19, packaging automation can compile all of their medications in one place for a longer duration, eliminating the need for separate prescription pickups.
There is benefit for pharmacies as well, as these automated packaging machines wipe out the need for a number of pharmacists in an area at once, permitting more space for pharmaceutical professionals to keep a safe physical distance.
References
[1] Benefits of Packaging Automation for Pharmacies Amid COVID-19; Packaging Digest: Kevin Copsey | Oct 02, 2020: https://www.packagingdigest.com/pharmaceutical-packaging/4-benefits-packaging-automation-pharmacies-amid-covid-19
[2] Super Solutions for Packaging Automation in a Pandemic Year; Packaging Digest: Lisa McTigue Pierce | Dec 22, 2020: https://www.packagingdigest.com/automation/12-super-solutions-packaging-automation-pandemic-year
