MADISON, Wis. – Self-checkout options have become commonplace in many retail settings, and starting now, even UW Health pharmacy locations.
People who use UW Health pharmacies now have the option to receive most medications via specifically designed kiosks – even outside regular business hours.
The kiosks are comprised of lockers and feature cold storage space in addition to room-temperature compartments. If a customer chooses to receive their medication via the kiosk when requesting a refill or submitting a new prescription, a UW Health pharmacist or pharmacy tech fills each compartment, and then the customer can pick up the prescription at their convenience by entering a code that is assigned to their order.
If a customer has trouble accessing the medication or using the kiosk, they can call a phone number on the kiosk that is staffed at all hours of the day.
The kiosks are placed at three locations across the Madison area, on the west side at the UW Health Pharmacy Services Building, 3185 Deming Way, Middleton, centrally located at University Hospital, 600 Highland Ave., and on the east side at East Madison Hospital, 4602 Eastpark Blvd.
Providing this option expands care for patients and customers who use UW Health pharmacies, according to Aliyah Cruz, pharmacy administrative resident, who led the implementation of the kiosks at UW Health.
“People can’t always get to a pharmacy during business hours, and for some patients not being able to take their medication until the pharmacy opens the next day can have a big impact on their health,” she said.
It’s also about convenience, Cruz said, as the kiosks are always accessible and available to patients 24 hours a day.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for the people we care for to get the medications they need,” she said.
