[Global Views Monthly] Smart innovation drives diverse support for new drugs: the Patient Support Program digital management platform makes treatment timelier and better

Taiwan's National Health Insurance is the envy of the world, yet coverage gaps remain for many new drugs that are not yet reimbursed. The main issue is the high out-of-pocket cost of new medicines: 60% of cancer patients cannot afford them and resign themselves to conservative treatment, and even those who can afford them face many barriers to learning about or accessing the relevant channels, leaving recovery perpetually out of reach.

A complete digital product line—startup solutions to help patients afford medication

"Our aim is that during self-paid treatment, once a physician has assessed whether a patient meets the prescription criteria, the patient can be referred into free drug or financial support programs offered by pharmaceutical companies, easing the pressure of treatment." Sean Chang, Chairman and General Manager of Media-WIND Health Strategies, explains that after observing patients' treatment needs in a super-aged society and the difficulties of NHI reimbursement for new drugs, Media-WIND Health Strategies launched the "PatientsForce Patient Support Program platform (Patients Assistance Programs)" in 2015. It helps pharmaceutical companies provide medication programs directly to patients, supports patients and reduces their financial and treatment burdens while new drugs await NHI reimbursement, and delivers patient-centered care and health services.

Since its launch, Media-WIND Health Strategies now runs more than 80 medication support programs with nearly 300 partner hospitals, serving tens of thousands of patients each year. The most critical key to building this successful business model has been digital transformation.

Evie Wang, Chief Operating Officer of Media-WIND Health Strategies, stresses that Media-WIND Health Strategies was one of Taiwan's pioneers of the "Patient Support Program platform." The biggest early difficulty was the complex and massive "management mechanism." From patient enrollment through treatment completion, interaction records must be kept for every stakeholder, while drug safety monitoring must also be maintained. After going digital, document applications, reviews, personal data handling, and medication management across pharmaceutical companies, patients, and hospitals can even be completed within ten minutes through a fast-track review mechanism, boosting compliant administrative efficiency for physicians and patients.

Media-WIND Health Strategies built its Patient Support Program digital management platform service so patients receive timely, compliant support for new drug treatment.

Putting digital applications to work for ESG

To improve management quality and efficiency, Media-WIND Health Strategies began its digital transformation in 2018, building the Patient Support Program digital management platform for case management. Working on both "quality" and "compliance" systems, it created MediPASS to link LINE with its integrated case management system, making the service easier for patients to use, while also developing the MediPASS drug donation management integration system. It continues to optimize the platform, offering follow-up visit reminders, AI customer service, and health education, and combines data-driven healthcare to achieve better patient outcomes. Since digitization, patient enrollment has grown nearly 100% every year, benefiting ever more patients. 

Media-WIND Health Strategies won the top prize in the SME innovative business model category and the ESG special award at the 2024 HBR Digital Transformation ("DingGe") Awards.

These outstanding digital results earned Media-WIND Health Strategies the top prize in the SME innovative business model category and the ESG special award at this year's (2024) HBR Digital Transformation ("DingGe") Awards. Looking ahead, Media-WIND Health Strategies is also extending the Patient Support Program platform to the corporate sector, developing SDG-aligned corporate initiatives that build future medical capital for employees and their families. As Sean Chang puts it: "PatientsForce is not just a digital system—it represents corporate responsibility in action. We hope more healthcare institutions and pharmaceutical companies will join us. Through innovative business models and digital tools, more patients can afford new drug treatments and receive complete care, while we also help the NHI solve patient support problems in clinical care—together advancing the concept of a 'third health insurance' program where medicine, patients, and pharma all benefit."