New kiosks provide quicker check-in for patients using Outpatient Pharmacy

New check-in kiosks that will speed up the process of collecting pharmacy prescriptions have been installed by University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust.

Patients at University Hospital, Coventry, will be able to use the stations to register their prescription after an appointment rather than visiting Outpatient Pharmacy.

They will be given a printed ticket with a number which will appear on screens around the Trust once their prescription is ready for collection.

Kiosks are located by Clinic One and Clinic Nine in Outpatients and in main reception, with another to be added in the Arden Cancer Centre in the coming weeks.

Deputy Director of Pharmacy at UHCW NHS Trust Matthew Prior said: “We believe this idea will improve efficiency and enhance the patient experience.

“Taking away face to face check-ins from the pharmacy will allow staff to spend more time on getting prescriptions ready, therefore speeding up this part of the process.

“Checking in at the kiosks is a simple, easy-to-follow process and offers patients greater convenience and flexibility.”

Patients using the kiosks will be asked to log in either by their name or hospital number and answer a few simple questions.

As well as their ticket, they will also receive a QR code which will enable them to check if their prescription is ready for collection by presenting the QR code at one of the kiosks.

The kiosks are a joint project between UHCW and SWFT Clinical Services Ltd (SWFT CS), who took on the running of our Outpatient pharmacies almost a year ago.

Among the first to try out the kiosks was patient Nicholas Peacock, who had been attending a Stroke Clinic.

“I think they are a really good idea,” he said. “The checking in was really quick and simple to navigate and it saves having to queue twice.”

Checking in at pharmacy face to face will remain for anyone who may struggle with the technology or who would prefer that option.

There are presently no kiosks at the Hospital of St Cross in Rugby as waiting times there are shorter, although that will be kept under review.