Illness doesn’t follow a schedule — and neither do patients’ needs. While pharmacies close at night, on weekends, or during holidays, people still rely on everyday health products, OTC items, and timely support to manage their wellbeing. Many patients depend on routine care that doesn’t pause when the doors close.

For individuals with ongoing health conditions or caregiving responsibilities, access to essential daily care products helps maintain stability, comfort, and uninterrupted routines. This reliability is at the heart of true continuity of care.

The Challenge: Limited Opening Hours & Growing Patient Needs

Across Europe, limited opening hours create gaps in access to daily care essentials and OTC items. In rural areas — where pharmacy consolidation has moved services toward larger cities — rural healthcare access becomes even more challenging.

Pharmacy teams are under increasing pressure due to staff shortages and rising workload. This means patients often struggle to access the products they need or to pick up items prepared after a pharmacist consultation, simply because the pharmacy is closed.

As demand grows, the need for dependable 24/7 pharmacy access becomes increasingly clear.

Automation: The Key to Reliable 24/7 Pharmacy Access

Modern automated pharmacy solutions offer a practical and scalable way to extend service hours without increasing staffing requirements. With a pharmacy self-service system, patients can access approved OTC items, daily care essentials, and pre-authorized pickups securely at any time — day or night.

These solutions enable:

• OTC 24/7 availability
• Instant access to key daily care products
• Reduced workload through pharmacy workflow automation
• Convenient pickup of items prepared by pharmacy staff
• Consistent service during evenings, weekends, and holidays

A secure pharmacy pickup station ensures that patients can retrieve what they need quickly and safely, whenever they need it most.

A Scalable Model for Future-Ready Pharmacy Services

Expanding the network of automated 24/7 access points enhances availability of OTC items and pharmacist-prepared pickups. Hybrid models that combine traditional pharmacy services with pharmacy automation help maintain service levels, streamline processes, and support patients without placing additional demands on staff.

Pharmacies using CareApo24 (CA24) benefit from:

• High-capacity OTC and daily care availability with CA24 Shelf
• A compact, hybrid 24/7 solution with CA24 Classic
• Night-duty and emergency service support with CA24 Compact
• Optional integration with existing storage systems for controlled dispensing via CA24 Terminal (only where compliance allows)

These systems strengthen pharmacy digitalization, enhance efficiency, and improve service access — especially in regions where staffing or distance limits availability.

Future-Proof Your Pharmacy With CareApo24

If you want to extend your services, support your team, and provide reliable 24/7 pharmacy access, CareApo24’s automated pharmacy solutions are designed to meet today’s challenges and tomorrow’s expectations.

Learn more about the CareApo24 product lineup to find the best solution for your pharmacy — or contact us for a personalized consultation.

Your patients don’t stop needing care after closing time — and with CareApo24, your service doesn’t have to stop either.