Delivery Partners connected into the Medmate platform

Relationship, role, and lifecycle

The lifecycle of a delivery partner in the Medmate ecosystem.

Figure 13: The lifecycle of a delivery partner in the Medmate ecosystem.

Medmate has existing relationships with Rendr, Australia Post, Door Dash and Uber (not Uber Eats). Pharmacies may have the opportunity to work with all delivery partners or may choose to select only a number of them. As well as this, pharmacies may opt out of delivery partners all together and instead only offer click and collect services.

How are delivery partners selected?

It’s important to note that Medmate is using very few delivery partners, so selection of a delivery partner is more of a “relationship, terms and service” case-by-case evaluation than a set list of criteria. New delivery partners are an “once every few years” compared to “every few days” for a pharmacy or doctor—and so the nature of the documented information to support the process is commensurate with that frequency.

In saying that, these delivery partners would typically need to:

Fill a delivery need, e.g. a service area, or a specific timeframe as dictated by Medmate from time to time.
Meet minimum security requirements e.g. security of the delivery including a mechanism to verify the correct recipient.
Achieve the above in a commercial competitive manner.

Medmate indicated that they weren’t looking to onboard delivery partners in the near future, but instead consolidating on the use of Rendr.

Rendr serves as an intermediary logistics provider who maintains contracts with a range of delivery partners, and Rendr can select the best based on a mix of price, time and availability. Security requirements (recipient verification) are still met when using Rendr.

Which delivery partners are used?

Rendr is the preferred logistics provider, but Australia Post, Uber (but not Uber Eats) and DoorDash are also directly integrated into the Medmate platform at the time of writing. Use of the delivery partners is also subject to configuration by the pharmacy.

How are delivery partners monitored and managed?

Delivery partners must confirm once an order is delivered (or not). This is seen in the Medmate portal by Medmate’s reception staff and pharmacies, who collectively manage and ensure deliveries are being made like they should be.

Ongoing contractual arrangements dictate delivery timeframes (e.g. same-day delivery), which are monitored and managed on a case-by-case basis.

Who owns the relationship with a delivery partner?

By default, Medmate owns the relationship with the delivery partners as the contracting entity. However, it was highlighted that, with Sigma pharmacies using Rendr, they can opt to be billed directly by Rendr using their own account, and therefore the relationship responsibility would effectively shift to the pharmacy.

What mechanisms minimise risk when using delivery partners?

Mechanisms to minimise risk when using delivery partners include:

Mandatory drug restrictions: Delivery partners are restricted from handling monitored Schedule 4 (S4D) and Schedule 8 (S8) drugs. These medications are only available for click and collect, eliminating the risk of controlled substances being mishandled during delivery.
Platform integration and customisation: Medmate retains control of the logistics providers available through its platform, and the method in which they’re integrated. Pharmacies have the flexibility to customise the activated delivery partners (if any, e.g. click and collect only), allowing them to choose providers that align with their standards and requirements. This configuration is part of the onboarding process and can be updated as required.
Patient choice of delivery options: Patients have the freedom to choose their preferred delivery method, including click and collect, same-day delivery, or postal service, provided the pharmacy has enabled these options. However, if the prescription includes S4D or S8 drugs, mandatory rules ensure that only click and collect is available. This balances patient convenience with risk associated with controlled substances in transit.
Verification of recipient: Prior to handing over prescriptions, delivery partners are required to verify the identity of the recipient. This may involve methods such as sighting ID documents or measures like Uber’s pre-shared PIN codes. This ensures that orders are delivered to the intended recipient.