How TotalHealth Pharmacies Transformed Operations with PillPacPlus Automation
TotalHealth Pharmacies, a respected network of independent pharmacies across Ireland, faced mounting pressure from rising prescription volumes, staffing challenges, and increasing demand for compliance aids, particularly in care home settings. Several branches, including Brogans in Loughrea and Bagenalstown, turned to PillPacPlus to implement a suite of automation solutions, including the Proud NEO robot and tailored pouch dispensing workflows.
Pharmacy Group:
Totalhealth Pharmacies, Ireland
Challenge:
Labour-intensive manual tray filling, limited capacity to grow compliance service
Goal:
Improve efficiency, accuracy, and scalability of compliance dispensing
Solution:
Installed Yuyama pouching robots with integrated training and support
Products Used:
Litrea 112, Proud NEO and eMAR Plus
At a Glance: PillPacPlus in Action
TotalHealth Pharmacies, a well-established group across Ireland, needed a more efficient way to manage growing demand for compliance aids, especially for care home patients. Manual tray filling was consuming valuable staff time and limiting their ability to scale. Their goal was to streamline the process, reduce errors, and offer a safer, more scalable service without compromising on care quality.
By partnering with PillPacPlus and implementing Yuyama pouching robots alongside eMAR Plus, TotalHealth transformed their compliance dispensing model. The switch to automated pouches brought immediate improvements: reduced workload, fewer emergency supplies, enhanced medication safety, and a significant boost in service efficiency. With the expert training and responsive support from PillPacPlus, staff quickly adapted to the new system. The result was not just a technical upgrade, but a long-term operational advantage, one that continues to support growth, compliance, and patient trust across their pharmacies.
Background:
TotalHealth Pharmacies, a respected network of independent pharmacies across Ireland, faced mounting pressure from rising prescription volumes, staffing challenges, and increasing demand for compliance aids, particularly in care home settings. Several branches, including Mahers, Brogans in Loughrea and Bagenalstown, turned to PillPacPlus to implement a suite of automation solutions, including the Proud NEO robot and tailored pouch dispensing workflows.
Pharmacy Goal:
Totalhealth Pharmacies wanted to modernise their compliance dispensing process toThey aimed to offer a safer, more scalable service for both community and care home patients without sacrificing the personal care and reliability their pharmacies are known for.
The Challenge:
Manual tray filling had become a bottleneck. Staff were under pressure, spending hours each day assembling compliance aids by hand. It was physically repetitive, time-consuming, and prone to errors, especially during busy periods. Storage limitations also made it harder to expand the service, limiting the pharmacy’s ability to scale or offer compliance support to more patients.
The Solution:
The pharmacy adopted the PillPacPlus pouch-based system to automate compliance packaging. This all-in-one system simplified the process from prescription receipt to patient-ready pouches.
“It’s just an easier-to-use system… from filling trays to what the patient receives – everything is packed together.”
– Maher’s TotalHealth Pharmacy
Implementation:
At Brogans Totalhealth Pharmacy, installation was quick and disruption-free. “The installation was quick, with the staff gone within half a day,” they reported. Training was led by the team at PillPacPlus, who accommodated the pharmacy’s schedule and delivered a hands-on, confidence-building session.
Bagenalstown Totalhealth Pharmacy echoed the sentiment: “Our training day with PillPacPlus was fantastic. They were incredibly patient and guided us through every step.”
“The installation was quick, with the staff gone within half a day,”
– Brogan’s TotalHealth Pharmacy
“Our training day with PillPacPlus was fantastic. They were incredibly patient and guided us through every step.”
– Bagenalstown TotalHealth Pharmacy
%
Can Increase Adherence By Up To 80%
According to PillPacPlus’ 2025 Industry Report, pouch dispensing systems can increase adherence by up to 80% – a vital improvement for patients on complex regimens.
Key Outcomes:
Improved Efficiency
McGuinness Totalhealth Pharmacy noted a shift in productivity: “The robot has automated the process for us, making life simpler and safer for both patients and staff.”
Reduced Emergency Supply Burden
Brogans said, “Rarely needing to do emergency supplies has significantly reduced our workload.”
Patient Safety & Compliance
Murphy’s Totalhealth shared, “The Yuyama robot has made checking pouches much more accessible… we’ve noticed reduced medication errors.”
Scalability & Staff Optimisation
Mahers Totalhealth Pharmacy saw tangible results: “It’s improved patient compliance and efficiency within the pharmacy.”
At a Glance: PillPacPlus in Action
TotalHealth Pharmacies, a well-established group across Ireland, needed a more efficient way to manage growing demand for compliance aids, especially for care home patients. Manual tray filling was consuming valuable staff time and limiting their ability to scale. Their goal was to streamline the process, reduce errors, and offer a safer, more scalable service without compromising on care quality.
By partnering with PillPacPlus and implementing the Proud NEO 266 pouch robot alongside eMAR Plus, TotalHealth transformed their compliance dispensing model. The switch to automated pouches brought immediate improvements: reduced workload, fewer emergency supplies, enhanced medication safety, and a significant boost in service efficiency. With the expert training and responsive support from PillPacPlus, staff quickly adapted to the new system. The result was not just a technical upgrade, but a long-term operational advantage, one that continues to support growth, compliance, and patient trust across their pharmacies.
Background:
TotalHealth Pharmacies, a respected network of independent pharmacies across Ireland, faced mounting pressure from rising prescription volumes, staffing challenges, and increasing demand for compliance aids, particularly in care home settings. Several branches, including Mahers, Brogans in Loughrea and Bagenalstown, turned to PillPacPlus to implement a suite of automation solutions, including the Proud NEO robot and tailored pouch dispensing workflows.
Pharamacy Goal:
Totalhealth Pharmacies wanted to modernise their compliance dispensing process toThey aimed to offer a safer, more scalable service for both community and care home patients without sacrificing the personal care and reliability their pharmacies are known for.
The Challenge:
Manual tray filling had become a bottleneck. Staff were under pressure, spending hours each day assembling compliance aids by hand. It was physically repetitive, time-consuming, and prone to errors, especially during busy periods. Storage limitations also made it harder to expand the service, limiting the pharmacy’s ability to scale or offer compliance support to more patients.
Key Outcomes:
Improved Efficiency
McGuinness Totalhealth Pharmacy noted a shift in productivity: “The robot has automated the process for us, making life simpler and safer for both patients and staff.”
Reduced Emergency Supply Burden
Brogans said, “Rarely needing to do emergency supplies has significantly reduced our workload.”
Patient Safety & Compliance
Murphy’s Totalhealth shared, “The Yuyama robot has made checking pouches much more accessible… we’ve noticed reduced medication errors.”
Scalability & Staff Optimisation
Mahers Totalhealth Pharmacy saw tangible results: “It’s improved patient compliance and efficiency within the pharmacy.”
The Solution:
The pharmacy adopted the PillPacPlus pouch-based system to automate compliance packaging. This all-in-one system simplified the process from prescription receipt to patient-ready pouches.
“It’s just an easier-to-use system… from filling trays to what the patient receives – everything is packed together.”
– Maher’s TotalHealth Pharmacy
Implementation:
At Brogans Totalhealth Pharmacy, installation was quick and disruption-free. “The installation was quick, with the staff gone within half a day,” they reported. Training was led by the team at PillPacPlus, who accommodated the pharmacy’s schedule and delivered a hands-on, confidence-building session.
Bagenalstown Totalhealth Pharmacy echoed the sentiment: “Our training day with PillPacPlus was fantastic. They were incredibly patient and guided us through every step.”
“The installation was quick, with the staff gone within half a day,”
– Brogan’s TotalHealth Pharmacy
“Our training day with PillPacPlus was fantastic. They were incredibly patient and guided us through every step.”
– Bagenalstown TotalHealth Pharmacy
%
Can Increase Adherence By Up To 80%
According to PillPacPlus’ 2025 Industry Report, pouch dispensing systems can increase adherence by up to 80% – a vital improvement for patients on complex regimens.
Ready to Streamline Your Pharmacy Operations?
PillPacPlus have never overpromised or underdelivered. The pouch system is
Michael Maher
Owner, Maher’s totalhealth chemist
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