The Pharmacy Department Support Health Services Sector at Emirates Health Services (EHS) revealed that the ‘Your Medicines to Your Doorstep’ initiative saw a total of 134,956 medical prescriptions delivered to customers’ homes since its launch in March 2020, recording a customer happiness rate exceeding 95%.
The Department noted that 39,034 prescriptions were delivered in 2020, growing to 53,448 in 2021, and then to 134,956 by October 2022.
Dr. Amal Al Awadi, Director of the Pharmacy Department at EHS, said: “The initiative came in response to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic as a basic precaution against the spread of the virus. The objective was to facilitate treatment for senior citizens and people of determination, on one hand, while driving the development and sustainability of services provided by Emirates Health Services, on the other. The initiative has shown remarkable success, as evidenced by the number of medical prescriptions that have been delivered since its launch in March 2020.”
“The service aims to dispense and deliver medicines and pharmaceuticals that are prescribed by physicians in hospitals and healthcare centres affiliated with EHS to patients’ home, in addition to providing instructions and consultations on the use of these medicines through the virtual pharmacy feature,” she added.
The service aims to play a part in achieving the national agenda, enhancing performance on the Healthcare Quality Index, ensuring sustainability in the provision of health services, and boosting customer happiness by delivering the medicines to patients’ homes, which protects them and their families from infection.
The medicine dispensary service is available through the ‘Your Medicine at Your Doorstep’ initiative at all EHS-affiliated hospitals and healthcare centres that cater to senior citizens and people of determination, and process refills on prescriptions.
The initiative outlines a set of procedures to ensure quality and efficiency, such as having dispensed medicines pass through a smart digital system, and using specialised bags designated for medicines, including insulated “cooler” bags and non-insulated bags, depending on the nature and requirements of each medicine.
Moreover, a tracking system is implemented to measure temperatures, while a smart electronic application is used to deliver medicines and ensure their quality. To assess customer happiness about the service, a text message is sent to them with a questionnaire allowing them to rate the service after they have received it. Their feedback is then used as a basis for continuously developing the service to meet their aspirations and requirements.