Helsinki home care adopts medicine-dispensing robots

Helsinki home care introduces medicine-cup dispensing robots after six-month pilot

Helsinki home care is introducing a dispensing robot that gives medication from medicine cups instead of single-dose sachets, after a six-month pilot in which around 96% of more than 4,800 doses were delivered without alerts.

9 November 2026 by Robert Eduard Antal, facts checked automatically against the source · updated 10 November 2026

Key facts

Helsinki's home care services are introducing a dispensing robot that provides medication from medicine cups instead of single-dose sachets.

In the first three months of the pilot, more than 4,800 doses were dispensed, and around 96% were delivered without alerts of medication not being taken.

Around 1,200 Helsinki clients already use a medication dispensing robot, with over one million doses dispensed each year.

Helsinki’s home care services are introducing an automatic medicine dispenser service in which a robot provides medication from medicine cups instead of conventional single-dose sachets. The service complements the existing dispenser services and is aimed particularly at clients for whom single-dose sachets are not suitable. It will be introduced gradually across home care units.

What the pilot showed

The launch followed a six-month pilot in Helsinki’s home care services, in which the device was tested with 15 home care clients, some of them first-time users of a dispensing robot. Some clients also received support for taking their medication via a video connection. In the first three months, more than 4,800 doses were dispensed, and around 96% were delivered without any alerts of medication not being taken. The pilot also tested a new feature: releasing untaken medicines for re-dispensing remotely. Service Manager Anne-Maria Siitonen from Palvelukeskus Helsinki said the results show the technology can improve medication safety, support clients in living independently at home and free up professionals’ time for more demanding work.

Who it is for

Home Care Manager Päivi Kujala from the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division said the robot can help clients who find it difficult to open single-dose sachets, for example because of shaking hands. The device can also dispense medicines that cannot be provided in conventional single-dose sachets. As with other home care services, the need for and suitability of the service are assessed case by case.

Feedback from clients and staff

A survey after the pilot collected largely positive feedback, with ease of use receiving particular praise:

Clients (7 respondents): average rating of 8.6 on a scale of 1 to 10; most would continue using the device.
Nurses (20 home care nurses and 8 remote care nurses): usability rated good, with an average rating of 8.5.

Background

Helsinki has used medication dispensing robots in home care since 2019. Around 1,200 clients use one, and the robots dispense over one million doses a year. Palvelukeskus Helsinki provides the service for the city’s home care, with robots supplied by Evondos and Axitare. In the service, medicine is stored securely inside the dispenser to remove the risk of taking too much. If a dose is not taken at the right time, the dispenser alerts the remote care team, and home care staff can come to give the missed medication if necessary. Home care staff order the medicine and fill the dispenser.

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