It started in August 2019, when we were approached to develop a map application that would provide an overview of the locations of pharmacies around Estonia. More important than the location details themselves was the visual representation of information related to the then forthcoming pharmacy reforms: whether specific pharmacies met the requirements coming into force on 1 April 2020.

The client needed the application ASAP: we had just two weeks to complete it. The application had to be simple and logical so that ordinary users would understand the information it was designed to present to them.

Along with creating the application, regular updating of the data within it was just as important. At that point, pharmacies had eight months to bring their operations into line with the new laws. As such, the changes in the status of the pharmacies needed to be constantly reflected in the application.

In parallel with this, the client wanted a static map image dating to the start of 2020. The aim was to provide an overview of where pharmacies would be located (or not) in the wake of the reforms.

The app was given a new purpose

Once the reforms were introduced, the map application had fulfilled its purpose – the information was correctly and timely conveyed to people. Since the client didn’t want to waste the work that had been done on the application, they decided to give it a new purpose. This led to few actual changes to the application itself: it continues to show the locations and areas of operations of pharmacies around the country.

The application uses Regio’s API TMS raster basemap. Users can search for pharmacies on the screen itself as well as in the search box by name or address. Pharmacies can also be filtered according to certain parameters.

Currently, pharmacy data are updated in the application on a monthly basis.

The map application can be found on the State Agency of Medicines website at https://www.ravimiamet.ee/ravimid-muugiload-ohutus-ja-kaitlemine/ravimi-kaitlemine/apteek.

Direct link: https://apteegid.ravimiamet.ee/