The value of sales in pharmacies in Poland rose by 14.6 percent year-on-year in April and amounted to PLN 3.76 billion, research firm PEX PharmaSequence reported. For the first four months of the year, Poles spent nearly PLN 15 billion on drugs – an average of more than PLN 400 per person. And they will spend even more. Pharmacy chains operating in Poland are actively investing in building and developing pharmaceutical applications.
574 billion for drugs
The model for us is, of course, the United States. Already in 2020, they accounted for 48 percent of the global pharmaceutical market. The amounts that patients spend on buying drugs work on the imagination. In 2021, it was $574 billion. Analysts estimate that in 2025 Americans will spend even more money: $605 to $635 billion.
Pharmaceutical applications conquer markets
Pharmacy chains operating in Poland are actively investing in building and developing pharmaceutical applications.In 2021, patients in the United States will dispense about 4.69 billion prescriptions. According to IQVIA, one of the largest market analyst firms, this situation is becoming a driving force for the development of business solutions for on-demand services. Applications through which patients receive their medications directly at home are becoming increasingly popular.
With billions spent on medications, cutting a chunk out of that track with apps is particularly tempting. Current app solutions offer users a much broader range of services than just buying a prescription.
4 Million Customers
Rite Aid Corporation, a U.S. drugstore chain based in Philadelphia, is a Fortune 500 corporation and has created one of the top pharmacy apps in the United States. Rite Aid Pharmacy is used for more than just ordering and delivering medications. It also allows users to buy diet products, vitamin supplements, or cosmetics. About 4 million people across the United States use the pharmacies app.
Packages from the Amazon app
Amazon Pharmacy is investing heavily in the Pillpack.com app. Its users can count on personalized packages of their medications, which they receive once a month. To take advantage of such a form, users need to go to the company’s website, provide a list of medications and the doctor’s contact information, and choose a form of payment. In preparing the packages, Pillpack.com works with doctors and insurers. A registered patient does not have to worry about deliveries. He receives the shipment, and within the application, he also receives information about the exact dosage of the drugs. He can also count on pharmacy assistance 24 hours a day. Delivery is always free.
Ordering, tracking, consultation
What can Polish patients count on? They cannot yet benefit from home delivery of prescription drugs. For pharmaceutical market regulatory reasons, this is currently impossible. But you can order drugs from your pharmacies via Polish apps for quite some time. The doz.pl pharmacy network app allows not only to order medicines, supplements, dermo-cosmetics, and medical equipment. Also to track orders and consult pharmacists from within the app. The application will also remind us to take prescribed medications. It is available on the web as well as on smartphones.
Notifications from the pharmaceutical applications
The My Pharmacist Dr.Max app from Dr. Max works similarly. Giving users the ability to maintain a home pharmacy and stay in touch with their pharmacist. In the pharmaceutical application, we can create profiles for all family members. We can also assign them the appropriate medications with information on dosage, time of intake, and when the package has been opened. After installing the application on a smartphone, we will be able to consult a pharmacist via chat. If necessary, he will give us pharmaceutical consultation, and can also refer us to a doctor. The app has notification functions for all medications and their dosages for all members of the Family.
Pharmacy likes apps
Data from the Central Statistical Office (GUS) show that the pharmaceutical market in Poland is the most innovative business area in Poland. As many as 52 percent of innovative companies originate from this sector. Polish pharma uses technologies such as AI/ML, blockchain, IoT/IoMT, RPA, AR/VR, or big data analytics. In development, manufacturing, and Customer relations.
Your move!
A significant part of the DevOpsi team has worked on large application projects for Polish health care.
If you would like to ask us a question,
If you are interested in the broad topic of applications in healthcare – not only in pharmacy,
WRITE!
Paweł Zaraś, CEO of DevOpsi, will be happy to answer them: pawel.zaras@devopsi.pl
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