When patients are ready to leave the hospital, every minute matters. Delays in discharge can slow care for the next patient, create issues in clinical areas and add stress for patients and families. Sometimes, a single step—picking up prescriptions—can create an unexpected logjam.

Thanks to the generosity of donors through Union Health Foundation, a new pharmacy pickup kiosk is helping remove that barrier—improving efficiency, enhancing patient safety and giving caregivers more time to focus on what matters most: patient care.

From Convenience to Care Efficiency
At first glance, the kiosk looks like a convenience for co-workers—a secure, self-service locker for picking up prescriptions outside pharmacy hours. But for the pharmacy team, it addresses a persistent workflow challenge.

 
“Our lobby pharmacy window was a bottleneck,” said Megan Lotz from the pharmacy team. “We were constantly hearing that pharmacy pickup could slow down discharges. We knew we needed a way to improve throughput without losing the human connection with patients.”

The kiosk allows co-workers to collect medications in under a minute, reducing congestion at the pharmacy window. This frees pharmacists and technicians to focus on patients who need counseling, medication reconciliation and support at discharge.

Supporting Faster, Safer Discharges
For patients, having medications on hand at discharge is critical to preventing readmissions and complications. By shifting co-worker prescriptions to the kiosk, pharmacists have more time to counsel patients, resolve insurance issues and ensure they leave with the right medications at the right price. The ripple effect improves discharge timing, patient safety and overall care quality.

Better for Staff, Better for Patients
The kiosk has also changed how co-workers interact with the pharmacy. Nurses, patient care technicians and other co-workers no longer need to wait in line, freeing time for patient care. 
“This kiosk has literally changed my life in being able to get my medications at my own convenience,” said one Union Health co-worker. “I don’t have to worry about standing in line or taking time away from patients. It’s the best thing the hospital has done for pharmacy, for our patients and co-workers.”

Since its launch, hundreds of co-workers have enrolled, and nearly 2,000 prescriptions have flowed through the system—proof that small innovations can drive meaningful change.

Gratitude for the Investment
“This project is bigger than our department,” Lotz said. “It affects patient flow, staff productivity and the quality of care we deliver. We’re incredibly grateful for the trust and investment that made this possible.”
Thanks to donor support, a simple piece of equipment is helping patients get home sooner, caregivers spend more time at the bedside and pharmacists focus on what matters most—safe, affordable, effective medication care.