The 10 per cent growth in online pharmacy dispensing seen in one year by four operators is explained by changing expectations about customer service, and behaviour acquired during Covid, Omnicell regional sales manager Louise Langton said in her presentation to the DDA 2023 conference.

Entitled, Internet Pharmacy: Turning Threat into Opportunity, the presentation noted that in December 2022, four online (distance) pharmacy providers dispensed 2.57m items per year.

Explaining shifts in consumer behaviour Langton said that people are working longer and more irregular hours and want services to fit around their own lives. Post-Covid, tech-based and remote healthcare options have become accepted across all patient age groups.

She promoted Omnicell and the Pharmaself24 prescription vending machine to challenge dispensing GPs to improve patient convenience, reduce waiting times, and improve resource efficiency.

View the presentation: Internet Pharmacy: Turning Threat into Opportunity