As part of the modernization of pharmacies and with a focus on developing efficient, safe, and customer-oriented pharmaceutical care services, "Mēness aptieka" has invested approximately EUR 50,000 to introduce self-service checkouts in five "Mēness aptieka" pharmacies in Riga and Jelgava. These self-service checkouts allow customers to purchase medical and hygiene products, skin and hair care items, teas, and other goods, while medicines continue to be dispensed exclusively by a pharmacist.
In the pharmacy setting, self-service checkouts are a unique solution in Latvia. They will help ensure an even higher quality and accessibility of pharmaceutical care by relieving pharmacists of other pharmacy-related duties, thereby allowing them to devote more attention to conversations with customers and professional consultations.
At the new checkouts, customers can independently or with the assistance of a consultant pay for a range of non-medicinal pharmacy products, such as medical and hygiene items, skin and hair care products, teas, vitamins, and other goods. Prescription and over-the-counter medicines cannot be purchased at self-service checkouts, as these products are available exclusively with a pharmacist’s consultation. With the introduction of the new automated checkouts, pharmacies and pharmaceutical professionals will continue operating in their usual mode.
“Our goal at "Mēness aptieka" is to ensure the highest quality pharmaceutical care that is accessible to everyone. That is why we carefully analyse daily operations in our pharmacies to relieve pharmacists of various additional tasks unrelated to customer consultations. By following trends in the pharmaceutical sector and drawing on experience from other countries, we invest in and introduce innovative solutions to enhance customer convenience. Pharmacists are highly qualified and among the most accessible healthcare professionals, so we continuously focus on optimising their work processes, enabling them to dedicate more time to customers who need professional advice,” says Jeļena Petrišina, member of the board of "Mēness aptieka".
By modernising its pharmacies and developing innovative solutions for the convenience of both customers and employees, "Mēness aptieka" has also become the first pharmacy in Latvia to introduce electronic shelf labels in several pharmacies across the country. As part of its ongoing, strategic improvements and efforts to increase process efficiency, the company plans to expand these innovations to other "Mēness aptieka" pharmacies with higher client volume.
