Central Filling
High Volume, High Efficiency, Even Higher Satisfaction
RoboPharma is the industry leader for Central Filling automation with a unique model that focuses on speed, efficiency, and reliability. Our designs are proven to dramatically reduce dispensing errors, time and costs in pharmacies. RoboPharma individualizes each system to manage every step of the process – from the moment the pharmacy submits a patient’s repeat prescription directly, to when the completed order is shipped back to the pharmacy for patient pickup. A RoboPharma central filling build-out efficiently fills hundreds to thousands of prescriptions per day at a remote location in a hub-and-spoke model.
Contact UsThe Integrated Components Of A RoboPharma Central Fulfillment System
Our automation software starts and finishes everything; The Rx ordering, receiving, processing, validating, dispensing, checking, labeling, sorting, user identification, track-and-trace of all steps, reporting functions, and return shipping to the spoke pharmacies. Our software orchestrates the many interwoven hardware components like:
- High capacity robotic dispensers
- Sorters
- Checking and labeling systems
- Packing systems
- Intelligent conveyors
- Storage systems
- Vial and bottle feeding systems
- Cappers
- Vision inspection systems
RoboPharma’s Central Filling Automation Model
- 1Prescriptions are first sent in from the patient’s preferred pharmacy.
- 2When the prescription is received, the central fill pharmacy then efficiently dispenses the medicines and checks and labels the individual packages.
- 3The system securely packs all prescriptions in a patient-specific bag or box; applies a label; and sorts the prescriptions for transport.
- 4Once completed, orders are shipped back to the local pharmacy and the patient then picks up their order locally.
- 5Optionally, patient pickup can be automated using our ScriptShelves (will call) and RoboWall (24/7 collection point). With RoboPharma’s HomeDelivery, scripts also can be delivered to the patient’s homes in a secured way.
Central Fulfillment Pharmacy vs. Mail Order/Digital Pharmacy
A central filling system is an end-to-end solution similar to a RoboPharma digital pharmacy solution except that orders are received from a brick-and-mortar community pharmacy, and not from a website or app. Plus, once orders are completed, they are shipped back to the patient’s local pharmacy, and not to home.
Learn more about Mail OrderExample Of A High Volume Central Filling Facility
Click each number to follow the RoboPharma workflow
1. Prescription Arrival
Orders from the out-of-hours pharmacy are received by the central fill pharmacy.
2. Incoming medication
Stock is replenished and placed into the stock-holding robot cells (at the end of the afternoon or early in the morning). Bins with collected items for the non-stock-holding systems are immediately processed in the central fill pharmacy.
3. Stock Management
Robot cells for dispensing prescriptions only process prescriptions that contain items from the ‘Top 1200’. Approximately 70% of all prescriptions can be handled this way. Bulk medication is stored in the robot dispensers. Each RobotCell can dispense 600–700 prescriptions per hour, with an average of 6 medication packages per prescription.
4. Non-stock-holding
SorterCells process prescriptions with medications that are not part of the ‘Top 1200 items’. Stock is supplied on demand by the wholesaler and processed in batches of 100 prescriptions. Each SorterCell can process 500–600 prescriptions per hour, with an average of 6 medication packages per prescription.
5. Collecting and Loading bins
An advanced transport and software network unites all bins with fully picked and sorted medications and transports them to the RoboLabel stations.
6. RoboLabel Stations
Completed prescriptions are scanned, checked, labeled, packaged, and sealed. RoboPharma software verifies each package against the prescription, prints the label, and applies it to the medication packaging. When all items are present and verified, a final bag label is produced. Each operator at a RoboLabel station (production employee) processes an average of 100 complete prescriptions per hour, with an average of 6 medication packages per prescription.
7. Sorting for Branch Distribution
Completed and labeled orders are scanned and collected for delivery to the corresponding out-of-hours pharmacies.
8. Order Delivery
Orders are transported to the out-of-hours pharmacies.
9. Unlimited Capacity
The example shown can process 100,000 orders per day. Each central fill project by RoboPharma is custom-designed to make optimal use of the available space and allow for future growth.
Video: RoboPharma Overview
Get In Touch With RoboPharma Today
Have additional questions about RoboPharma’s central fulfillment expertise? Connect with our planners to build your project.