Pharmacy goes high-tech with kiosks in Big Apple
Several years ago, Duane Reade quietly rolled out a high-tech pharmacy kiosk, designed and patented by the regional pharmacy chain, to two of its stores. Duane Reade is now ramping up the rollout of these cutting-edge kiosks called DR Express. In March, Duane Reade said it expected to have equipped a total of 17 stores with kiosks by April 1. DR Express, often located near the store’s front entrance, allows customers to access a live pharmacist from a remote location 24 hours a day, provided the store where the kiosk is located is open.
The kiosks enable Duane Reade to extend pharmacy hours to match its stores’ hours without racking up additional store labor costs.
Customers touch the screen and pick up the phone handset to connect with the pharmacist via video camera. If they have filled a prescription at Duane Reade previously, they simply have to state their name, date of birth and phone number. If they have not, they need to fill out a customer profile card, then scan the profile card and their insurance card.
At a Duane Reade store located on Lexington Avenue and 56th Street, a large sign that reads “DR Express. Get your prescriptions filled here,” hangs over the kiosk. The Midtown store has placed a path of blue floor decals in the shape of footprints, leading from the pharmacy counter in the back of the store to the pharmacy kiosk.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group
