Pelebox is a digital platform that manages various internet enabled smart lockers. Pelebox smart lockers enable patients to collect their repeat chronic medication in under 2 minutes instead of waiting hours queuing at public clinics. It’s a social innovation that leverages the power of technology to improve service delivery and truly offer patient centric service
Pelebox smart lockers can be placed at various locations such as shopping malls commuter
nodes or at partner retail outlets. They represent alternative ways of reaching patients, thus ensuring that core clinic resources can now focus on patient interface rather than spend time on dispensing.
Pelebox smart lockers work in a setting where a national health ministry needs to reach more people but is limited by the number of traditional healthcare facilities, staff shortages and higher patient volumes.
South Africa has world's biggest ART (antiretroviral therapy programme) for patients living with HIV and AIDS, and there's been a steady increase in the number of patients with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), requiring chronic therapy. 84% of our citizens are using public sector facilities for health services. The combined challenge of staff shortage and large patient volumes lead to long waiting times at clinics.
Typically, a patient with a chronic disease is issued a repeat prescription for 6 months.
Between 6-monthly clinical assessments, the patient needs to visit the healthcare facility merely to collect medication.
About 70% of a facility’s daily prescription load are devoted to servicing repeat prescriptions. A patient's experience tends to be one of long waiting times, typically above 3 hours. Over 4.3 million man-hours are lost every month. This poses potential adherence barriers which may lead to poor health outcomes and places a strain on the patient in terms of transport costs and loss of income.
Web Platform for monitoring operations
on a dashboard and mobile devices.
Integrates to existing patient record
management system.
Tracks the dispensing of medication and
reconciles collections daily for all sites.
Equipped with battery backup for
emergency operations.
Scalable Technology that is more
economical than direct deliveries.
Not limited to traditional healthcare facilities
and 24-hour access based on chosen location.
Increase capacity based on demand.
19 - 24 degrees temperature range.
Aligns with the Ideal Clinic Program, in particular, the Integrated Clinical Services Management that deals with patient waiting time.
Aligns with National Health Insurance (NHI) - CCMDD pillar by acting as a convenient pick-up-point for patients.
"Smart lockers had the intention of reducing the work load and waiting time for patients, so far, its achieving what it was intended to do. Its takes less than two minutes if you’re slow. It has reduced the work load and collection time"
- Irene, Pharmacy Operations, City of Tshwane
"Smart lockers had the intention of reducing the work load and waiting time for patients, so far, its achieving what it was intended to do. Its takes less than two minutes if you’re slow. It has reduced the work load and collection time”
- Irene, Pharmacy Operations, City of Tshwane
Technovera has been working with the City of Tshwane and the National Department of Health in South Africa on a Pelebox pilot aimed at showing the impact of technology on reducing the average time spent in a clinic and adoption from patients. Thus far, we have reached over 3000 patients with an average collection duration of 36 seconds (much lower than the anticipated 2 min) and have established two additional sites in partnership with the City of Johannesburg.
We are planning to set up over 30 Pelebox smart lockers to ensure that patients don’t struggle when collecting their chronic medication. We are also looking for partners and sponsors who can help us achieve this. We need to reach more patients through our simple and innovative technology. We see a future where the hustle of collecting medication is reduced to a couple of seconds instead of hours.
Technovera Pty Ltd,
Tshimologong Precinct,
41 Juta Street, Braamfontein,
Johannesburg, 2001
South Africa
The Innovation Factory,
6 Mark Shuttleworth Street,
The Innovation Hub, Lynnwood,
Pretoria, 0087
South Africa
© 2016 - Pelebox. All Rights Reserved
