AI and Robotics Are Reshaping Pharmacy Workflows

Pharmacies around the world are under strain from rising prescription volumes, staffing shortages, and expanding clinical responsibilities.

To cope with the growing demand, many are turning to artificial intelligence and robotics to automate routine work and keep services running smoothly.

From robotic dispensing systems to AI platforms that manage inventory and workflows, these tools are increasingly integrated into pharmacy operations.

Automation takes on routine pharmacy work

Automation is increasingly used in pharmacies to handle high-volume, repetitive tasks such as dispensing, stock selection, and expiration management. For instance, the BBC highlighted a community pharmacy using a robotic system to dispense roughly 11,000 medications a month, significantly freeing up time for staff. 

The pharmacy installed a robotic unit in its stockroom that relied on barcode recognition to identify an item, pick it up, and send it down the chute to waiting staff. The robot is also capable of automatically prioritizing medication with the shortest expiration date, ensuring that customers always receive fresh, safe, and effective medication.

“A good proportion of those prescriptions don’t need to be checked because the robot and the system are doing that for us,” pharmacist Hema Patel told the BBC.

While BBC’s coverage focused on a single site, similar automation systems were already in use across hospital networks, retail chains, and centralized fulfillment centers worldwide. 

What earlier deployments showed

Last year showed just how far AI and automation were already integrated into pharmaceutical operations. A narrative review published in the journal Pharmacy analyzed five years of real-world AI and machine learning deployments across community pharmacies, hospitals, and health systems. 

The review examined more than 150 studies and case examples, including Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins, and Walgreens. The comprehensive review found that AI-supported pharmacy systems reduced medication errors by as much as 75% and reduced the time allocated to medical reconciliation by around 40%. 

This results in increased patient safety, fewer adverse drug reactions, and multimillion-dollar annual savings through better inventory control and clinical decision support. The authors also noted that many of these wins came from mature implementations rather than experimental pilots, emphasizing that the benefits of automation tended to increase over time as systems and staff adapt.

AI shifts pharmacists toward patient care

As automation absorbed routine work, pharmacists were increasingly able to focus on consultations, medication therapy management, and clinical services. Patel said that automation freed staff from repetitive tasks and allowed more time with patients, showing a positive shift in how pharmacy roles are evolving. 

This shift aligns with wider healthcare trends. For instance, Boston Consulting Group said healthcare organizations were rapidly adopting AI agents that can observe, plan, and act with limited human intervention to simplify workflows and reduce administrative burden.

BCG emphasized that the majority of the implementation effort focused on workforce redesign and process change, not algorithms alone. “Successful AI innovators follow the 10-20-70 rule, which holds that a company should dedicate 10% of its effort to algorithms, 20% to technology and data, and the remaining 70% to people and processes,” the publication noted. 

Technology helps, but pressure remains

Despite clear efficiency gains, pharmacy leaders warned that automation alone couldn’t resolve funding and reimbursement pressures. Patel said community pharmacies faced rising operating costs that technology couldn’t offset without sustainable investment. 

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the UK government had committed £3.1 billion in funding for community pharmacies in 2025 to 2026. This is by far the largest NHS uplift for the sector in more than a decade. “As long as funding is right, this can support healthcare, the NHS, and our growing population,” Patel said.

For more on how AI is being used across healthcare, see eWeek’s roundup of the best AI tools for better health and wellness.

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