Segment GermanyMarket environmentBusiness performance
The Zur Rose Group was able to significantly strengthen its market leadership in Germany in 2019, increasing sales including medpex by 50 per cent in local currency terms. Pilot projects with the German Association of Specialist Doctors and the German Association of General Practitioners on sending prescriptions electronically and other innovative solutions are now making it possible for the first time to have a fully digital process for caring for patients. All those involved in the market are able to benefit from proven proprietary e-prescription technology and the extensive drug treatment safety check even before electronic prescriptions are officially launched.
Clear number one position in Germany strengthened
The Zur Rose Group further extended its market leadership in the German pharmaceutical mail-order business in 2019. Sales in Germany including medpex rose substantially in local currency terms by 50.9 per cent to EUR 876.7 million. In Swiss francs the growth rate was 45.4 per cent.
Cooperation with the German Association of Specialist Doctors (SpiFa)
SpiFa, which represents over 160,000 specialist doctors in clinics and surgeries, and the Sanakey Group which belongs to it, entered into a cooperation agreement with DocMorris in May 2019. The aim is to jointly seek innovative solutions in issues such as drug treatment safety and distribution and run a pilot project on the launch of electronic prescriptions. Operational implementation began at the start of 2020. The intention is that the DocMorris e-prescription solution, with an additional medication management and AMTS tool included, will then be included in new SpiFa agreements with health insurers. At the same time, SpiFa and DocMorris are also keen to develop care models together.
Cooperation with the HÄVG
In October, DocMorris entered into a strategic cooperation with the HÄVG (the organisation that manages the contracts for the German Association of General Practitioners). The HÄVG provides healthcare services for around 30,000 organised general practitioners. In November 2019 the cooperation partners started supporting the German Association of General Practitioners and its regional group in Westfalen-Lippe in a pilot project on sending prescriptions digitally. A second phase will see a checking module on drug treatment safety included. The cross-sectoral pilot project will network general practitioners, patients and pharmacies by combining the e-prescription technology of eHealth-Tec GmbH, the DocMorris eRx app and the AMTS database.
Speeding up integration
The fitting and installation of equipment started in the new hall of the logistics extension in Heerlen, which was completed on time and on budget in August 2019. The Zur Rose Group expects the new distribution centre to be fully operational as scheduled during the course of 2021. An ongoing review is under way to assess whether the logistics activities of other Group companies can be moved to Heerlen in 2020, earlier than planned, to achieve greater efficiencies.
As part of the integration of apo-rot, the next stage was to combine the marketing, service and IT divisions in Heerlen to realise additional synergies. With this in mind, the apo-rot Service GmbH site in Hamburg, where this work was performed by a team of around 80, was closed as planned on 31 December 2019. Out of a sense of social responsibility, apo-rot Service GmbH voluntarily developed socially acceptable solutions in the form of severance packages which took suitable account of the interests of the staff.
Acquisition of ClinPath GmbH and eHealth-Tec GmbH
With the full acquisition of ClinPath GmbH and the joint venture eHealth-Tec GmbH, two small companies in digital healthcare, Zur Rose has secured technical expertise and laid a further key building block in the development of the healthcare eco-system. eHealth-Tec gives the Zur Rose Group a pioneering role in the German market as a systems provider for e-prescription solutions. Initial e-prescription pilot projects with health insurers and other healthcare partners are already being turned into reality by eHealth-Tec in strategic partnerships. In addition, ClinPath is an established provider for designing, developing, installing and applying innovative software solutions to optimise processes in hospitals. Almost 100 clinics and facilities, some in associations and groups, already have the ERPath emergency admission information system from ClinPath in operation. In the interests of consistent branding, since 2020 the ClinPath GmbH product range has been offered under the name eHealth-Tec, which already has a market presence in e-prescription solutions.
Partnership with KRY
In December 2019 the healthcare company KRY, which has operations all over Europe, and DocMorris entered into a partnership to launch KRY in Germany. Across the country, KRY offers patients professional medical diagnosis and advice by video from freelance physicians working and licensed in Germany. If necessary, the attending physician can also issue an electronic prescription, which can be dispensed by DocMorris or a local pharmacy, at the patient’s choice. As part of the cooperation, DocMorris advertises the services of KRY by highlighting its telemedical offering across a range of channels including the webshop, package inserts and newsletters. In return, DocMorris acts as the online pharmacy partner of KRY and is seamlessly integrated in the KRY app. Digital prescriptions will be transferred using the eHealth-Tech GmbH technical solution during the course of the first quarter of 2020.