Farmacia Arany Kígyó

THE NEEDS

“We had been planning to renovate our pharmacy for some time, so we already had some ideas. The initial plan was to only expand the reception area and merge the workshop and warehouse with drawer cabinets, but then we met GPI who revolutionized our project: with a single product, they were able to offer us simplicity, affordability, and reliability, an offer that was hard to refuse.”

However, initial suspicions had to be overcome due to the fact that RIEDL systems were not available in the local market for verifying their proper functioning and integration with existing SW.

Nevertheless, the technical parameters of RIEDL Phasys, along with its software and hardware advantages compared to other automated robots sold in Hungary up until that point, convinced the customer to accept it.

THE CHALLENGES

The main challenge was to meet the predetermined assembly and installation times (4-5 days). The program for the transformation of the entire pharmacy was quite tight: between the closure of the old structure and the opening of the new one, GPI, the implementer, and the furniture manufacturer had a total of only two and a half weeks available. Despite initial skepticism, everyone completed their work within the predetermined timeframe, and in 4 working days, the RIEDL automated cabinet was assembled and ready for use.

The second challenge was related to the supply of the pharmacy software. At the time of machine installation, integration was not yet available, and without it, the customer could not work. GPI took care of the operation and made themselves available at any time and for any reason, to complete the integration as quickly as possible.

“The minor difficulties we encountered during the trial period and the work of the pharmacy software company were resolved without any problems and always very quickly, thanks to the Hungarian representation and the support of GPI.”

Even issues with reading local drug barcodes were overcome without any problems during the installation phase.

THE SOLUTION

“For us, the robot is the solution in itself. Our old pharmacy was significantly overwhelmed by the increasing number of patients. Day by day, we realized that the limited space prevented us from serving our customers with the right quality and at the right time. It was not uncommon to see, even with few people in line, the customer leaving without waiting for their turn or avoiding entering the pharmacy altogether.”

“Furthermore, the work of Hungarian pharmacies is made more difficult by the lack of qualified personnel: RIEDL Phasys has therefore become an ideal solution for us because, in addition to facilitating the work of colleagues, our pharmacy has become a more welcoming and functional place and a coveted place to work.”

Features:

• Length: 5.168 meters;
• Width: 1.606 meters;
• Height: 2.819 meters;
• 1 multipicking gripper with camera;

THE BENEFITS

• More space for patient reception;
• Faster service for customers (net time requirement decreased by 70%!);
• Higher-level drug safety, including monitoring of expiration dates of abandoned stock, reducing the number of boxes of current inventory stock while increasing the assortment.

“Therefore, customers entering our pharmacy can purchase medicines more quickly, accurately, and comfortably. Additionally, at the end of the workday, our colleagues are physically and mentally more fit.”

Thanks to the RIEDL Phasys automated cabinet, they no longer have to turn away any customers due to lines or lack of products: the loading is so effective that at 8:00 when they open, all necessary products are already stored and ready to be dispensed (even if the supplier’s restocking arrives at 6:30 am on the same day). After the renovation, the daily turnover of patients at the pharmacy increased by ~40%. Therefore, the pharmacy decided to increase staff with a qualified colleague. If in previous years, only students or non-specialized personnel applied, now in response to their advertisement, they received a significant number of applications in just three days, and the most qualified candidate was selected and has already been part of the pharmacy’s work team for two months.

EVOLUTIONARY SCENARIO / FUTURE OBJECTIVES

Initially considered a risky investment, the client is now sure that it was absolutely necessary and well-founded. A project of such magnitude is a leap of faith for any pharmacy, but sometimes it is necessary to take risks in order to grow and improve. Prior to this investment, the client did not see a stable future for the next 5 years and would not have been able to hire new staff to cope with upcoming retirements. This is something they consider indispensable. In fact, the decreasing number of staff would have resulted in a decreasing income, putting the company in a downward spiral from which it probably would not have been able to recover.

“Our goal for the future is also to serve an increasing number of customers with maximum medication safety, maximum comfort, and less net working time, so that there is more time to answer their health-related questions and inform them about their medication, as well as to serve the constantly growing turnover.”

Thanks to the modular system offered by GPI, it is possible to increase the size of the robot and continuously optimize the shelf system within the machine, as well as the software that controls the machine’s activity, perhaps even to build a new output site. The client is open to new challenges and ready to learn about the developments and possibilities offered by GPI, as well as perhaps to test and install them.

“The RIEDL Phasys automated pharmacy from GPI fits perfectly into our environment, making our pharmacy one of the most modern and sophisticated at the national level.”