Keywords: Collection Locker, Vending Machine, Medication

Background:

Patients in rural areas often find it difficult to access prescribed or over-the-counter medication. Limited local medical and pharmacy services, and the increased use of teleconsultations mean that services that dispense medication may be geographically distant from remote communities.
Patient facing medication collection lockers may provide a partial solution and are being introduced across Europe in both community and hospital contexts. Little is known about the impact on patients and potential unintended consequences of such collection points.

Aim of the study:

To understand how patient-facing medicines collection lockers are being used in healthcare.

Methodology:

We reviewed existing literature to identify where such patient-facing collection lockers were used. We collaborated with a specialist subject librarian to refine key academic sources using targeted keywords : ("vending machine*" OR "automated dispensing machine*" OR "self-service machine*" OR "automated retail machine*" OR “Dispensing*) AND ("collection locker*" OR "parcel locker*" OR "medication lockers" OR "automated storage locker*" OR "smart locker*") AND ("healthcare" OR "hospital*" OR "clinic*" OR "medical center*" OR “medical centre*” OR "health institutions"). We searched the academic grey literature, including unpublished and non-peer-reviewed sources, to gather real-world data and insights.

Results:

We identified 3 main uses of such patient-facing medicines collection lockers. Community pharmacies use collection lockers for dispensed medication to reduce wait times, improve accessibility for patients and efficiency within the pharmacy. Secondly, hospitals have implemented similar lockers to ease pharmacy workload. Vending machines for over-the-counter medication are used to sell products to patients without pharmacy involvement.
These advancements may enhance accessibility and efficiency but require careful implementation to avoid excluding those with poor digital skills

Conclusions:

Medicines collection lockers may bring value to pharmacies and patients but require careful implementation, ongoing evaluation and further research.