A number of hospitals in the UK are set to trial vending machines that bosses hope will maximise efficiency.
The organisation behind the move is City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust.
Speaking to E-Health Insider, Peter Surma of PharmaTrust - which created the products - said they will be able to perform data checks about the medication being used.
Information such as weight and expiry dates will be taken into account by each vending machine, he noted.
The expert added that the process involved is controlled by pharmacists, who are able to monitor the medication delivery through cameras that are built into the devices.
When the medical professionals are content with the transaction, they are able to confirm the release of medication to patients
Meanwhile, David Miller, chief pharmacist of the trust, said: "It's about centralising the supply process and decentralising staff so they can take on more patient facing roles.
"In my trust we're not looking to cut staff but the staff that we do have are wanted on wards and also in the dispensing process and they can't be in two places at once."
The organisation - which runs medical centres such as the University Hospital of North Durham and Monkwearmouth Hospital and operates on an annual budget of around 220 million - hopes the vending machines will maximise the use of its workers' time.
Vending machine devices are also being used in a small number of Sainsbury's stores to dispense prescription medication.
The products require consumers to use a unique identification and Pin number before they can access the contents.
A list of their prescriptions then comes up on the screen and drugs are given out through a collection point.
Some people may find the service convenient as it will enable them to pick up their medication while doing their shopping.