The Growing Role of Automation in Healthcare and Pharmacy Settings

The integration of automation in healthcare addresses challenges such as increasing patient volumes, the need for precise medication dispensing, and the demand for streamlined operations. By automating routine tasks, healthcare providers can focus more on patient care, reduce errors, and optimize workflow efficiency. This shift not only improves operational performance but also enhances the overall patient experience.​

How Automation is Transforming Healthcare Operations

Healthcare providers and retail pharmacies face unprecedented pressure to deliver high-quality care while managing costs and improving operational efficiency. With prescription volumes increasing by approximately 4.7% annually, and pharmacist shortages affecting many regions across North America as, automation has become not just beneficial but essential.

Here are a few stats that show the transformative ROI of automation technologies in healthcare and pharmacy plays:

Shorter Wait Times with Patient Check-in Kiosks: Patient check-in kiosks dramatically reduce check-in waiting times. For example, laboratories  using Aila’s patient check-in kiosk have seen patient wait times drop by 80% on average.

Improved Dispensing Accuracy with Pill Counters: Automation greatly reduces human counting errors. Modern pill-counting machines can achieve around 99.9% accuracy in counting medications​, virtually eliminating the miscounts that can occur with manual counting.

Enhanced Workflow Efficiency with Technician Workstations: Integrated tech workstations allow technicians to perform all steps of prescription processing in one place, minimizing unnecessary movement and delays. For example, systems now combine imaging, pill counting, and verification software at the technician’s station, so the tech does not need to leave their workspace to count pills, scan documents or find information.​

Patient Check-In Kiosks

What are patient check-in Kiosks?

Patient check-in kiosks are self-service stations that allow patients to register upon arrival at healthcare facilities. They enable patients to input personal information, verify insurance details, and complete necessary forms without direct assistance from administrative staff.​

Benefits

• Reduced Wait Times: Automated check-ins expedite the registration process, minimizing queues and enhancing patient flow
• Improved Data Accuracy: Patients entering their own information reduce the likelihood of errors associated with manual data entry​
• Enhanced Privacy: Self-service kiosks provide a discreet way for patients to input sensitive information, improving confidentiality

Impact on Efficiency and Workflow

Implementing patient check-in kiosks streamlines administrative tasks, allowing staff to allocate time to more critical duties. This automation leads to a more organized reception area and contributes to a smoother operational workflow. For instance, healthcare facilities using Aila’s patient check-in kiosks have reported decreased workloads for front desk staff, zero transcription errors and 94% patient satisfaction.

Pill Counting Kiosks

Purpose

Pill counting kiosks are automated systems designed to accurately count and dispense medications. They assist pharmacists in ensuring precise medication dispensing, which is crucial for patient safety and regulatory compliance.​

How Automated Pill Counters Work

Pharmacy pill counting machines, like Aila and Outcomes’ pill counting solution, leverage Aila’s advanced optical recognition technology to

1. Identify pill shapes, sizes, and colors
2. Count medications with 99.99% accuracy
3. Separate different medications safely
4. Verify prescriptions against physician orders

Benefits

• Accuracy: These kiosks significantly reduce the risk of human error in medication dispensing, ensuring patients receive the correct dosage.​
• Time Efficiency: Automation of pill counting frees up pharmacists to focus on patient consultations and other essential and higher-value tasks
• Audits & Reporting: Audit record and reporting allows for increased compliance and inventory reconciliation.

Impact on Efficiency and Workflow

By automating the pill counting process, pharmacies can enhance their operational efficiency. This technology minimizes the time spent on manual counting and verification, allowing pharmacists to dedicate more time to patient-centered services. For example, Aila’s pill counting solution combines precision optics and intelligent lighting to enable fast, accurate pill counting and prescription verification, modernizing pharmacy operations while maintaining high accuracy standards. Together with Outcomes, our pill counting solution provides large pharmacies with a comprehensive, turnkey system to streamline automation, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and seamless integration into existing workflows.

👉 Speak with an expert about our Aila & Outcomes pill counter solution

Technician & Clinician Workstations

Purpose

Aila’s iOS-based Technician and Clinician Workstations provide pharmacies and healthcare facilities with a modern, cost-effective alternative to traditional PC-based systems. These workstations integrate Aila’s powerful scanning SDK, enabling seamless barcode scanning, OCR, and document capture, which enhances accuracy and efficiency in both pharmacy and clinical settings.

Technician Workstations in pharmacies streamline prescription preparation, medication management, and labeling, reducing errors and improving workflow.

Clinician Workstations in hospitals and healthcare facilities provide immediate access to electronic medical records, allowing providers to document patient information, order medications, review test results, and monitor patient status at the bedside—eliminating unnecessary trips to stationary workstations and enhancing patient care.

These workstations replace expensive, hard-to-maintain PC-based setups with a flexible, user-friendly iOS-powered solution that integrates seamlessly into existing healthcare and pharmacy environments.

Benefits

Enhanced Productivity:  Faster prescription processing and real-time access to patient records reduce delays.

Improved Accuracy: Advanced scanning capabilities minimize medication errors and ensure reliable documentation.

Regulatory Compliance:  Integrated tracking and record-keeping support adherence to safety and compliance standards.

Impact on Efficiency and Workflow

By automating tasks such as prescription verification, medication labeling, and patient data entry, Aila’s Technician and Clinician Workstations significantly improve efficiency, reduce administrative burden, and optimize patient and customer interactions. They also facilitate better collaboration between healthcare providers and pharmacy teams, ensuring seamless communication and streamlined operations.

Future of Automation in Healthcare and Retail Pharmacies

The trajectory of automation in healthcare and retail pharmacies points toward increased integration of advanced technologies such as computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI). These innovations aim to further enhance accuracy, efficiency, and patient engagement. As automation becomes more prevalent, healthcare professionals can devote more time to direct patient care, leading to improved health outcomes and patient satisfaction.​

Automation through patient check-in kiosks, pill counting kiosks, and technician workstations is transforming healthcare and retail pharmacies. These technologies offer substantial benefits in efficiency, accuracy, and workflow optimization, paving the way for a more streamlined and patient-centered healthcare experience.