What It Is
PILBOX, short for “Prescription in Locker Box”, is a service that lets patients or their caregivers collect repeat prescription refills from automated secure lockers located outside the polyclinics any time, without having to queue and wait at the polyclinics’ pharmacies.
The inspiration for PILBOX came from seeing how e-commerce customers collect online purchases at their convenience. However, unlike those parcels, there can be no mistakes with medication. As patient safety is a top priority, PILBOX has two built-in rounds of authentication for depositing and collecting each prescription.
In order to ensure the medicines are stored at the right temperature and humidity conditions, tests were conducted to locate hotspots in the lockers and safety measures were implemented. PILBOX features a self-cooling system, which allows a wider range of medication to be collected through these self-service lockers.
Lockers are closely monitored with CCTVs (closed-circuit television cameras) to prevent abuse.
How It Works
To use PILBOX, patients with prescriptions must first sign up for the service with pharmacy staff.Patients can then drop their prescription slips at the pharmacy and schedule a date to collect their repeat medication.
SMS reminders will be sent to patients when the medication is ready for collection. The medicines will be put into lockers manually by pharmacists.
On the day of collection, patients or their caregivers can pay for their medication either at a self-help kiosk or online, and verify their identity by scanning or entering the QR code on the receipt.
They then enter their pre-registered mobile number to collect their medication from the assigned locker.
Benefits
For Patients
PILBOX helps patients with repeat medication to beat the queue at the pharmacy and reduce time spent waiting at the polyclinics’ pharmacies. It has been reported to reduce waiting time by 40 per cent (Source: Straits Times, Nov 14, 2017), saving patients about 25 mins of waiting time, and also relieves congestion at the pharmacy.Collection can be scheduled 24/7, including weekends and public holidays, providing greater convenience to patients and caregivers who are unable to make a trip to the pharmacy during the polyclinics’ operating hours.
Click on the link below for more information on how to register for PILBOX. https://polyclinic.singhealth.com.sg/Pages/prescription-locker-box.aspx
For Healthcare Providers
Healthcare providers’ productivity is improved, with the reduction in time spent dispensing medication manually, allowing them to focus on other patient enquiries. Over time, staff can be deployed to provide other services, which enables manpower savings.
Others
PILBOX was piloted at Marine Parade Polyclinic and is also currently available at Bedok Polyclinic, Punggol Polyclinic, Sengkang Polyclinic and Tampines Polyclinic.
