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Prescription kiosks linked to reduction in unnecessary antibiotic use

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March 19, 2026

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Prescription medication dispensing kiosks introduced at 20 urgent care centers in 2019 played a key role in an effort to improve antibiotic prescribing practices, according to a study spotlighted in the medical journalInfectious Disease Special Edition. The kiosks were designed to give patients faster access to commonly prescribed medications, including oral antibiotics, while allowing healthcare systems to manage which drugs and dosages were available. At the same time, an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) was launched to promote more appropriate antibiotic use through education, prescribing policies, and operational controls.

Researchers analyzed prescribing patterns before and after these interventions, comparing the first half of 2019 with the same period in 2024. While overall antibiotic prescribing remained similar, the number of antibiotic days of therapy per prescription declined significantly, indicating that shorter and more appropriate treatment lengths were being used. Investigators estimated that nearly 35,000 antibiotic therapy days were avoided during the study period compared with what would have occurred under earlier prescribing patterns.

The kiosks themselves became an increasingly important distribution channel, according to the study. Over time, an increasing number of prescriptions were routed to the dispensing kiosks rather than traditional community pharmacies. By adjusting the medications and treatment lengths available within the kiosks, health systems were able to influence prescribing behavior and reduce unnecessary antibiotic use while still maintaining convenient medication access for patients. Researchers suggested that this combination of stewardship programs and kiosk-based dispensing could become more common as healthcare systems and companies expand automated medication distribution.