NEWSROOM
A forward-looking Finnish pharmacy using evidence-based information for safer pharmacotherapy
Customer Story
15.9.2025
Photo: Roni Lehti
A modern pharmacy with a wide service offering
Apteekkisydän (“Pharmacy Heart”), a Finnish pharmacy in Naantali on the southwest coast of Finland, opened its doors in 2019 and has since developed into a dynamic and growing pharmacy with a team of 12 professionals. Alongside traditional prescription dispensing, the pharmacy has expanded its services to include nurse consultations, a health point, dose dispensing, and even a popular drive-in.
Customers can also order medicines and other products through the pharmacy’s online shop and also Wolt home deliveries are available for over-the-counter products – making access to care more flexible and convenient.
“From the very beginning, we have wanted to be part of everything new. Whether it’s digital services, home delivery or new customer programmes, we want to be at the forefront of development and able to offer our customers modern solutions,” explains Pauliina Suotunen, Pharmacist M.Sc., who has worked at the pharmacy since it first opened. Alongside her operational duties, she serves as deputy manager with responsibility for staff matters, product range management and marketing.
Digital systems supporting everyday practice
Behind the scenes, Apteekkisydän relies on a combination of digital platforms to keep services running smoothly. The pharmacy uses a comprehensive pharmacy system that manages operations, sales, finances, internal communications and staff scheduling.
Medbase’s drug information is integrated directly into the pharmacy system and is also available via Finland’s leading digital health information portal. Together, these systems provide the team with a seamless flow of information, from prescription processing to medication safety checks.
Reliable, evidence-based information supporting safe practice
For the team at Apteekkisydän, one of the greatest benefits of Medbase’s drug databases is the time saved in daily practice.
“I couldn’t imagine working without digital drug databases. If we had to go back to printed sources or search information from fragmented digital sources, dispensing would easily take three times as long, and we wouldn’t be able to serve as many customers,” notes Suotunen.
The pharmacy owner and pharmacist, Johanna Pulkki, echoes this, noting that immediate access to reliable information means staff can quickly resolve queries on their own, without consulting colleagues: “You can check the database yourself and save a lot of time. This improves efficiency across the pharmacy.”
Apteekkisydän relies heavily on Medbase’s drug information, which is seamlessly integrated into their pharmacy system. Pharmacists receive automatic alerts when a medicine may be unsuitable or when potential interactions occur, ensuring that risks are flagged immediately during the dispensing process. The most frequently used resources include the drug-interaction and adverse-effect database (Inxbase), the pregnancy and breastfeeding database (Gravbase and Lactbase) and Herbalbase, which is particularly valuable in pharmacy practice, where customers often ask about the safety of combining medicines with herbal or other natural products.
“The greatest value of having drug information in daily work is the time saved – you can check the drug information yourself and improve efficiency across the pharmacy.”
Johanna Pulkki, Pharmacy owner and Pharmacist
Apteekkisydän, Finland
Such resources are part of the daily routine. “Situations with potential high-risk interactions come up every day. The highest risk D-class interaction warnings must always be clarified. If necessary, we call the physician directly as it is our duty to ensure medicine safety. These calls frequently lead to changes in treatment, which in turn improves patient safety. It may be that a customer has not mentioned all the medicines they are using, or that an interaction has simply not been visible during a consultation. That is where the pharmacy plays an important complementary role in ensuring the overall safety of the treatment,” Suotunen explains.
With clear, accessible data, pharmacists can quickly assess risks, support safer use of medicines, and provide customers with confidence that their medicines are being thoroughly checked.
Impact on customer trust and care
Customers clearly notice the difference. “Especially when we identify and resolve interactions, people appreciate that we are looking after them from start to finish. It strengthens their trust,” Suotunen says.
Being able to explain why certain medicines or herbal products should or should not be combined not only reassures customers but also reinforces their loyalty to the pharmacy. As Suotunen notes, good use of drug information not only prevents harm but also contributes to the pharmacy’s professional image.
At Apteekkisydän, Medbase drug information databases have become an integral part of daily work, ensuring patient safety and enabling pharmacists to deliver high-quality guidance.
“They allow us to provide comprehensive and reliable information to our customers – a crucial part of successful pharmacotherapy and daily pharmaceutical work,” Suotunen concludes.
For the pharmacy owner, Johanna Pulkki, the greatest value lies in smoother daily practice that allows the team to focus more on customers. By embracing innovation and embedding trusted information into daily workflows, Apteekkisydän demonstrates how a forward-looking Finnish pharmacy can combine modern services with the highest standards of medication safety.