Enhancing pharmacy operations: factors shaping the adoption of automated drug dispensing systems

Purpose Pharmacies worldwide are under growing pressure to improve service quality, reduce dispensing errors and alleviate workforce shortages. Automated drug-dispensing systems (ADDS) represent a promising solution, yet adoption remains uneven. This study aims to identify and evaluate the multidimensional drivers of ADDS adoption in pharmacy operations. Design/methodology/approach A structured two-phase research design was used. In Phase 1, a Delphi study was conducted with five domain experts to identify critical adoption factors. In Phase 2, a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making approach (Analytic Hierarchy Process–Ordinal Priority Approach) was applied to rank these factors, using responses from pharmacy professionals in India and the UAE. Findings Technological factors emerged as the most influential determinants, followed by organizational, human and environmental factors. At the sub-factor level, dispensing time, delivery quality, firm size, employee competence and innovation culture were prioritized. These results emphasize that internal technological and organizational capabilities are more decisive than external pressures in driving ADDS adoption. Practical implications The results offer pharmacy managers, policymakers and technology vendors a structured decision-support roadmap. By prioritizing dispensing speed, delivery quality, organizational scale and workforce competence, stakeholders can align investments with operational and service delivery goals. Originality/value This study is among the first to apply a TOEH framework to pharmacy automation, combining Delphi–AHP–OPA methods to produce a context-specific prioritization model. It advances service management research by demonstrating how multidimensional adoption determinants shape the integration of service robots in healthcare delivery.