Introduction
In Switzerland, basic health insurance is mandatory for all individuals.1 The Federal Office of Public Health defines what must be covered in the basic health insurance, and all health insurances providing basic health insurance must cover at least this minimal set.2,3 Basic health insurance covers weekly dispensing systems if a patient has a prescription for it from a medical doctor and takes at least three medications per week. The services can be reimbursed at most once per week.4 In Switzerland, most medications need to be prescribed by a medical doctor.2 Drugs can then – depending on the canton – either be obtained directly from the prescribing doctor (self-dispensing cantons), or patients can redeem the prescription at a pharmacy of their choice to obtain the drug.5
Automated drug dispensing…