Walgreens has opened a central pharmacy center in Brooklyn Park, Minn., aimed at streamlining prescription fulfillment and freeing up pharmacists’ time.
The micro-fulfillment center is equipped with robotic technology to process, dispense and ship medications, according to a May 20 news release. Walgreens said the facility will serve more than 200 stores in the Midwest and is expected to fill 13 million prescriptions in 2025.
Four things to know about the company’s micro-fulfillment centers:
1. Walgreens operates 12 micro-fulfillment centers that support more than 5,000 U.S. stores.
2. Each week, the facilities fulfill more than 3.5 million prescriptions.
3. The company reported a 24% year-over-year increase in shipped volumes from its micro-fulfillment centers.
4. At stores serviced by these centers, about 40% of total prescription volume is managed at the facility, “allowing pharmacists more time to administer immunizations and provide other services for patients,” Walgreens said.