pLOG

2024-10-02

PatientsForce Wins HBR Din-Geh Award for Best Innovative Business Model and ESG Special Award for Advancing New Drug Accessibility through Digital Innovation

The winners of the 4th annual "Din-Geh Award" by Harvard Business Review (HBR) Global Traditional Chinese Edition have been announced. This year, PatientsForce received the top prize for Innovative Business Model Transformation in the SME category, along with recognition through the ESG Special Award. The winning project addresses the financial burden of self-funded new medications, offering an innovative solution to help patients access financial aid for new drugs while reducing transaction costs within the healthcare supply chain. The platform has supported over 60 types of specialty medications, including cancer treatments, biologics, and specialized medical devices. By collaborating with multiple international pharmaceutical companies, PatientsForce has become a pioneer in new drug benefit programs in Taiwan's healthcare market.

"Solving the issue of new drug accessibility requires more than just collaboration between the public and private sectors. A combination of public health insurance and private insurance is essential, but innovative market solutions are also needed to balance patient affordability and the market value of new drugs," said Sean Chang, Chairman of PatientsForce. In 2015, PatientsForce introduced the "Patients Assistance Programs," which help pharmaceutical companies directly provide medication plans to patients. These programs aim to alleviate the financial and treatment burdens for patients before new drugs are covered by public insurance, offering patient-centered care and health services.

Currently, PatientsForce offers over 80 patient support programs. Since 2017, the company has processed more than 1 million medication support applications for doctors and patients, with a market value exceeding NT$6 billion.

"Last year, more than 10,000 patients applied for medication support programs, but this year, the number has doubled due to the addition of new drug programs and the introduction of innovative solutions tailored to various medication types and conditions," said Sean Chang. To enhance the healthcare experience for Taiwanese patients, PatientsForce is committed to developing comprehensive digital management products. One such product is the "MediPASS Integrated SaaS Platform," an agile system that enables pharmaceutical companies, healthcare institutions, and pharmacies to collaborate on the same platform for applying and managing patient support programs. The platform allows for more efficient resource sharing, ultimately improving the quality of healthcare services.

PatientsForce COO Evie Wang noted, "MediPASS is a continuously optimized digital platform that ensures standardized and compliant quality management throughout the medication application process. Through the optimization of intelligent modules, the system can quickly process large volumes of patient application documents with automated text recognition, error detection, case management tracking, and resource allocation. Additionally, it enables real-time communication between patients and hospitals and facilitates medication dispatching. Our management efficiency is akin to that of an insurance company's claims department, but instead of payouts, we provide medication."

To further streamline medication distribution, PatientsForce has integrated supply chain management by launching the "MedScript System" to assist pharmacies with inventory management for donated drugs. This system has significantly improved the accuracy and efficiency of drug distribution in support programs. Furthermore, PatientsForce has introduced various financial solutions to assist patients with the cost of medications, including the innovative "Drug Installment Service," which allows patients to purchase medications and pay in installments. This service, combined with pharmaceutical companies' waiver programs, helps reduce the financial burden for patients waiting for public insurance coverage. Tailored financial plans for special cases are also available to address short-term financial pressures based on individual patient circumstances.

The introduction of AI services will be the next phase of PatientsForce’s scalable patient support programs, Chang added. To achieve 24/7 healthcare services, the company is now deploying AI-powered voice services. These services not only enhance internal customer service quality but also enable large-scale communication with healthcare providers and patients, such as medication reminders, appointment scheduling, health surveys, and patient self-reporting management. These innovations are designed to support the future of precision health management in the evolving medical landscape.

PatientsForce has also expanded its patient support platform to corporate clients, offering it as an ESG and employee support program to help employees and their families build future healthcare capital. Chang remarked, "PatientsForce is not just a digital system; it represents the fulfillment of corporate responsibility. We hope that more healthcare institutions and pharmaceutical companies will participate. Through innovative business models and digital tools, we can make new drug treatments more affordable for more patients, ensuring they receive comprehensive care. At the same time, we can assist public health insurance during transitional periods and fill the gap left by private insurance, addressing patient support issues in clinical settings and promoting a mutually beneficial cycle between healthcare providers, patients, and pharmaceutical companies."