Thumbay University Hospital Launches 24-hour ‘DRIVE-THRU Pharmacy' Service to Enable Social Distancing in Line with COVID-19 Precautions

The hospital also allows patients in need of chronic medication to place their orders over the phone

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, May 11, 2020:    Thumbay University Hospital, the largest private academic hospital in the region located at Thumbay Medicity, Al Jurf, Ajman, has launched 24-hour drive-through pharmacy service at the hospital premises, enabling patients and customers to collect their medication without stepping out of their cars. The move comes as part of the hospital’s series of measures to improve customer convenience and safety, in the wake of the social distancing and hygiene regulations mandated by the UAE authorities and WHO due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Customers can drive in and place their orders or present their prescriptions and collect the medications without having to physically enter the pharmacy, and by maintaining the stipulated social distance with the pharmacy staff handling their request. Direction signage have been installed at the hospital entrance and at other relevant places, ensuring that people have no difficulties accessing the drive-through service.

“Pharmacies play a vital role in the healthcare system, providing critical services to the public, especially in times like these when the world is dealing with a pandemic. It is important for Thumbay University Hospital to ensure the safe and continuous functioning of our pharmacy. By launching drive-through service, we intend to minimize risks for our staff as well as patients and customers, through infection prevention and social distancing measures. This also ensures round-the-clock availability of medicines and other pharmacy essentials,” said Dr. Mohammad Faisal, the COO of Thumbay University Hospital.

Moreover, the hospital has also enabled chronic medication refill for insurance patients by just making a phone call to 054-9955415. “We want to assure our patients that they will always have easy access to enough chronic medications including cardiac medications, diabetic medications or any potentially important medication that they need on a routine basis. Patients can get their medicines at home through the home delivery of medicines being done by Thumbay University Hospital pharmacy,” said Dr. Mohammad Faisal.

Elaborating on the efforts of the Thumbay Pharmacy network to ensure the safety of its staff and customers, Ravi K Gannavarapu, General Manager of the Retail Division of Thumbay Group said, “All Thumbay Pharmacies in the UAE are taking active steps to facilitate social distancing and hygiene, thereby reducing risks of exposure. All our pharmacy outlets frequently clean and disinfect customer service counters, waiting areas and customer contact areas. Thumbay Pharmacy’s drive-through service at Thumbay University Hospital is the latest step in this direction.”

Thumbay University Hospital has a robotic pharmacy with automated robotic technology to prepare and dispense medicines. This smart pharmacy, part of the Thumbay Pharmacy network, ensures zero dispensing errors and achieves considerable reduction in waiting times. Spread across 4700 sq. ft. area, it is equipped with robotic and pneumatic tube system, and has been designed for high density storage up to 42,000 units and hassle-free retrieval of medications. It is equipped with medication safety bar-code scanning, ensuring that the medications and strengths are correct during both the carousel stocking and dispensing process.