How Do Self-Service Pharmacies Help Improve Access to Medicines and Pharmacy Services in Estonia?
Access to medicines is a critical issue in Estonia, especially outside major cities. While Tallinn and Tartu offer 24/7 pharmacies, such services are entirely absent elsewhere. In rural areas, residents often face significant travel distances to purchase medications—half of them lack access to a pharmacy within a 15-minute drive.This situation places additional strain on emergency services and emergency rooms (ER). Statistics from 2018–2023 show that 36% of ambulance calls occurred between 9 PM and 9 AM. At the same time, only 40% of ER visits were for urgent cases. Many health concerns could be addressed at a pharmacy, provided better access to pharmacy services.
Self-Service Pharmacies: A Future Solution?
An impact analysis conducted by Accelerate Estonia and PricewaterhouseCoopers highlights the potential of self-service pharmacies as a key solution:
- Expanding the network of 24/7 pharmacies – Self-service pharmacies could improve access to both over-the-counter and prescription medicines.
- Improving regional access to pharmacy services – This would particularly benefit rural areas.
- Offering a more flexible service model – Self-service solutions could alleviate the shortage of pharmacists and pharmacy assistants, 53% and 43% of whom, respectively, are over 50 years old and nearing retirement.
- Reducing the burden on emergency medical services – Quick access to medications at a pharmacy could help reduce reliance on ambulances and ER services.
- Involving stakeholders in the legislative process – The analysis emphasizes the need to account for diverse stakeholder views and conduct additional participatory processes.
The Best Operational Model
Experts recommend combining self-service solutions as extensions of traditional pharmacies with standalone self-service pharmacies. This approach would balance flexibility and accessibility while maintaining the efficiency of the service.
It is also crucial to avoid over-regulation, which could compromise the viability of the solution. Consultation remains a vital component, reducing risks associated with medication misuse or overuse.
Why Does This Matter?
- Aging and declining pharmacy workforce: Half of pharmacy professionals will retire in the next 15 years, and younger specialists are often unwilling to work in rural areas, exacerbating service gaps.
- Concentration of pharmacy services: Most pharmacies are located in larger urban centers, leaving rural areas underserved.
- Misuse of emergency resources: Many ER visits and ambulance calls during late hours could be avoided if pharmacy services were readily available.
- 24/7 Access to Medicines: Self-service pharmacies improve round-the-clock access to medicines, reducing the burden on emergency medical services and ambulance care in larger service areas.
Accelerate Estonia’s partner in this project, Grab2Go, offers innovative self-service pharmacy solutions, enabling automated over-the-counter medicine purchases and video consultations with pharmacists. This project has sparked interest in Grab2Go as a company and its solution among numerous businesses worldwide, as well as in countries facing similar challenges in the pharmaceutical sector. This demonstrates that the solution has potential for scaling to other countries.This technology optimizes resources by allowing pharmacists to consult patients nationwide via video, freeing up time for in-person consultations. Grab2Go’s fully autonomous system also features real-time IoT data, automated inventory management, and optimized logistics for seamless operations.
As a result of the impact analysis, Accelerate Estonia in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs of Estonia is preparing a legal review and draft legislation to support the introduction of self-service pharmacies in Estonia.