Introducing Global Healthcare Cost Management Enhancements
February 1, 2023
CASE STUDY: Providing Medical Support on the High Seas
May 9, 2023
Unprecedented Globalization Advancing Global Rx Care
Article 5 of 5 Part Series entitled Always There Global Rx Care - What Global Organizations are Doing to Prepare.
Foreword
Since the beginning of time, there have been interactions and exchanges among different people and cultures. However, the current magnitude of globalization is unprecedented and yet still expanding rapidly with increasing transnational circulation of money, goods, people, ideas, and information worldwide. It is generally recognized as one of the most powerful forces shaping our current and future history. This article offers opportunities for integration, convergence, and collaboration in global healthcare programs. By respecting and conserving the diversity of medicines across the globe, we embrace what is possible.
New Frontier has engaged with US and worldwide Rx industry experts to create a series of 5 Always There Global Rx Care articles highlighting the importance of driving innovation into the modern global economy to achieve Whole Person Health through Whole System Health.
About the Authors
All five articles in this series were co-authored by three influential representatives and experts in the global healthcare industry:
Gitte Bach, President and CEO of New Frontier Group. After gaining extensive experience in international insurance and assistance through her initial years at IHI Denmark, Gitte founded New Frontier Group in 2002. Since its inception 20 years ago, New Frontier Group has been a market disruptor and innovator in the global cost management industry, being a pioneer that provides unparalleled cost management, claims administration, pharmacy solutions, telehealth, and assistance services to their clients worldwide. Gitte is passionate about customer service and innovation and holds a B.A. in Economics from Copenhagen Business School and a B.A. in Languages from Aarhus School of Business.
John Frick, Registered Pharmacist and CEO at Innovative Pharmaceutical Services. John is an industry leader for over 35 years in all aspects of pharmaceutical care. He is an accomplished healthcare professional offering comprehensive knowledge of specialty niche markets relative to the pharmacy and home health care professions, long term care, hospice and beyond. John is focused on projects differentiating themselves from the mediocrities of the industry and is the Chairman of the Board for the New Frontier Group Advisory Board where he assists in developing global Rx strategies focused on superior concierge, expert solutions for the global market.
Johan Porto, Cofounder of PharmCare Services. Prior to co-founding PharmCare Services (PCS), the first International Pharmacy Benefit Manager (iPBM) specialized in the international health insurers industry, managed various specialty pharmacy-related businesses for the private sector which developed the experience that has been a key element for the PCS global strategic planning and cost-containment initiatives that drives many aspects of the customer engagement and business development strategies provided to its clients.
PCS is the first International Pharmacy Benefit Manager with an extensive national and international network of retail and specialty pharmacies, authorized distributors and manufacturing partners bringing the highest standards in HealthCare and modern customized cost optimization planning to the IPMIs and travel industry
The Globalization Impact
The previous articles in this Always There, Global Rx Care series share information on the intricacies of specialized global Rx and how the landscape is changing. In addition, they detail how to avoid some medication misadventures.
Substantial, Sustainable Savings (Article 1)
Defragment Care in Global Rx (Article 2)
Medication Misadventures (Article 3)
Changing Global Healthcare (Article 4)
In this article we discuss the impact of globalization on the Rx market.
Medicine and healthcare have consistently been impacted by globalization, yet the supply chain for distributing pharmaceuticals to patients remains highly cumbersome and broken especially for patients receiving initial care outside of their home country. It is important to streamline getting medications to the people who require a cohesive supply chain, and that there is transparency for all stakeholders in a patient’s care at every level.
Healthcare and pharmacy are important industries that in global humanity, and everywhere, everyone is focused on making sure the population of their region is a healthy population. Specific to medicine and pharmacy there are also varying cultural components to consider that include social, political, historical, and religious factors.
While it is exciting to picture a global health care system that is as efficient as LED lighting technology, it is going to take a new approach that breaks down barriers when borders are crossed. Some of the key methods to promote positive health outcomes that innovative global organizations are taking include virtual telecare, digital automation, global patients tracking, and transparent, secure data transmission.
When care crosses borders, it is not always clear who has the ultimate responsibility for keeping patients from falling through the cracks. In some cases, it is the treating providers who take the lead, and in other cases it can be insurance carriers, cost management companies, assistance companies, or pharmacies. Innovation occurs when global healthcare leaders improve data transmission and create new products that simplify care coordination between different health care entities across the globe. Ultimately, successfully transitioning to “always there global Rx care” works for patients when everyone collaborates to support the patient.
We encourage all global healthcare stakeholders to embrace what globalization of all industries can mean to positive health outcomes across the world. We must work together on challenges so that no patient is lost in the shuffle, but rather that all patients are placed in the center of the process.
Technology has reduced barriers to communication, making this the perfect time for global healthcare organizations to come together and begin the development of an integrated system that promotes and facilitates the success in cross border medicine and healthcare. It promotes the convergence of everything needed to deliver a better solution for the complication of a cross border healthcare system. Unfortunately, there is no one size fits all cookie-cutter process.
The very idea of solutions is not that one solution can fix this complex problem - that is not how solutions work. There will be various solutions that incrementally fix parts of the global healthcare system, and over time we inch away to build integration and collaboration that offers success everywhere to ensure each individual person’s unique medical situation is considered.
About New Frontier Group’s Global Pharmacy Program
Choosing New Frontier Group for your pharmacy solutions provides a global pharmacy concierge program with benefits such as:
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Exclusive medication management with hands on patient care
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Pharmacy solutions combined with medical and telehealth services
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Direct engagement with providers to obtain essential medications at time of service
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No burden of logistics or financial barriers for patients and no out of pocket costs
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Needed medications are shipped to home country and after care is coordinated
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White glove, cross border service is focused on medication adherence
New Frontier Group’s pharmacy solutions is an exclusive medication management program that merges hands-on patient care services with concierge medical services that crosses borders.
Our global pharmacy solution includes a review of existing data and the development of a strategy to increase patient medication adherence by removing communication gaps, defragmenting the system, simplifying logistics and relieving the burden of financial barriers. Patients do not have to seek out pharmacy services in a foreign place because we handle all of the details for them from point of care to travel home. Our superior concierge solution reduces hospital readmission and ensures there is no out of pocket expense for members.
