Press Release: Storage Robot in Viinikka Pharmacy Also Prevents Burglary

Viinikka Pharmacy in Tampere has gone about its business with Iso-Fixu automated dispensing system for several weeks now.

The fully-automatic medicine storage robot acquired from Kuopio will handle the pharmacy’s heaviest routines involving goods. The robot sorts incoming medicines to the right places so that the pharmacy staff have more time available for serving customers and providing pharmaceutical advice.

Acquisition of the robot was prompted by the fact that the medicine crates of the pharmacy were starting to look poor after several burglaries.

“I figured that since the crates would have to be exchanged anyway, why not move forward to this millennium in pharmacy technology at the same time,” says Pharmacist Liisa Lehtinen.

The robot will make life more difficult for burglars as medicines are placed on shelves in a random order and uninvited guests cannot access them as easily.

The Finnish robot of NewIcon Oy turned out to be the most suitable option for Viinikka Pharmacy. The owner of the fairly small pharmacy put a lot of thought into the investment.

“I went to see similar devices used by my colleagues in their pharmacies and heard their encouraging experiences. The domesticity and especially the efficient maintenance services played a major role and, in the end, I did not actually even consider other alternatives. The profitability of the acquisition had to be calculated many times, but finally the scales tipped in its favor. Above all, our staff now have more time available for the most important task of providing pharmaceutical advice,  says Lehtinen.

Boosting everyday work

Once the hardest part, or the acquisition decision, had been made, things started to roll smoothly. The size of the device caused the pharmacist some concern at first, but, in the end, it found its place without difficulty. Minor surface repairs is all it took, and the doors of the pharmacy did not have to close for a single day due to installation. All in all, the installation phase lasted a couple of weeks.

“Everything went without a hitch. We were constantly kept up-to-date on the progress of the project and were mentally well-prepared. The user instructions and clear images helped us to prepare for what is to come.

The staff have enthusiastically welcomed the new robot, nicknamed ”Fiksu” after its factory name, Iso-Fixu. The intention behind the acquisition was not, at any stage, to save in labor costs, but specifically to modernize pharmacy work and develop customer services. The reception and sorting of incoming goods is now done quickly thanks to the robot.

When I told them about the upcoming acquisition, I could perhaps sense some fear in the air, but now that we have been able to use the robot, the rising enthusiasm is noticeable. We have also received wonderful ”Wow!” reactions from customers,” says Lehtinen.