Miao Health Technologies Empowers Pharmacies to Build an Integrated 'Healthcare, Medical Services, Pharmacy, and Insurance' Ecosystem
On June 20, 2020, following its acquisition of Shandong Health Youxuan Pharmacy Chain Co., Ltd., Miao Health, under Beijing More Health Technology Group Co., Ltd., officially opened its first “Smart Pharmacy” pilot store in Jinan, Shandong, launched by its Miao Yao Business Division.
It is reported that the smart pharmacy is powered by a one-stop solution provided by the Miaoyao Enablement Platform, with this self-operated store setting an example for the upgrading and transformation of traditional pharmacies. The pharmacy integrates multi-dimensional services, including health management, AI doctors, medication guidance, internet hospitals, and health insurance, offering comprehensive health interventions and medication guidance. It received widespread acclaim from customers during its trial operation period.
In recent years, the iteration and development of internet technology have driven transformations across numerous industries and continue to reshape the landscape of the pharmaceutical sector. Digitalization and informatization are reconstructing new business models, with traditional pharmacies being one of the key scenarios urgently awaiting transformation and upgrading.
In March this year, the State Council issued the "Opinions on Deepening the Reform of the Medical Security System," which pointed out that while supporting the development of new service models such as "Internet + Healthcare," it is necessary to accelerate the development of private healthcare and regulate the development of new service models like "Internet + Healthcare." Subsequently, in April, the National Development and Reform Commission, together with the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, released the "Implementation Plan for Promoting the 'Cloud Migration, Data Utilization, and Intelligence Empowerment' Action to Cultivate the New Economy," calling for the creation of digital enterprises, the construction of digital industrial chains, and the cultivation of a digital ecosystem.
Amid a confluence of favorable policies, traditional pharmacies are actively pursuing business model transformation. Aligning with industry development trends, Miao Health has officially launched the “Miao Yao Empowerment” new retail enablement platform for pharmacies. Targeting pain points inherent in the traditional pharmacy model—such as limited service radius, weak professional service capabilities, low member stickiness, and singular revenue streams—the platform provides an integrated new retail solution for traditional pharmacy operations.
Miaoyao’s meticulously crafted Health Preferred Pharmacy stores are no longer traditional drugstores merely selling medications; instead, they are smart pharmacies integrating comprehensive service capabilities, including new retail pharmaceuticals, health management, internet hospitals, and insurance coverage. This represents a significant implementation of Miao Health’s closed-loop service model encompassing “wellness, medical care, pharmaceuticals, and insurance,” and aligns with the national policy promoting the “Internet + Healthcare” new economy.
The Miaoyao Empowerment Platform provides pharmacies with comprehensive service and operational solutions. Leveraging core technological capabilities—including AI pharmacists, intelligent CRM systems, professional pharmaceutical care services, and e-commerce platforms—the platform utilizes chain pharmacies’ official WeChat accounts as a conduit to establish a private-domain traffic value system through specialized services. More than just a technical solution, it features built-in intelligent service workflows and hundreds of operational and marketing templates. This enables managed online operational services for labor-constrained chain pharmacies, ensuring effective project implementation.
Taking the AI Pharmacist as an example, Miao Health has developed a system based on artificial intelligence and a big data knowledge base. It simulates real physician consultations before customers purchase medication, leveraging hundreds of thousands of prescription records for common diseases and the clinical expertise of nearly 100 frontline experts. This enables rapid intelligent diagnosis and matching with appropriate medication regimens, providing detailed service and guidance, thereby addressing the pain point of scarce professional staff in retail pharmacies.
According to Wang Jianhui, Vice President of More Health and General Manager of its Pharmaceutical Business Unit, the pharmacy setting offers opportunities beyond mere drug sales, enabling access to a broader health services market. Medication purchase is only the beginning of customer needs; by delivering follow-up professional services and providing comprehensive health solutions tailored to those needs, pharmacies can unlock significant growth potential.
According to reports, Health Choice Pharmacy is dubbed a “Smart Pharmacy” because it differs significantly from traditional pharmacies in terms of service capabilities and operational models. Specifically, before purchasing medications, customers can scan the QR code in the store to use the “Minor Illness Smart Diagnosis” feature. The backend intelligent expert system will automatically provide medication regimens and health guidance based on the symptom information provided by the customer.
When a recommended medication regimen includes prescription drugs or when customers have other inquiries, they can directly connect to an internet hospital for consultation and prescription. With the electronic prescription issued online by the physician, customers can complete their medication purchase on-site at the store. At the checkout counter, key alerts regarding important contraindications and drug interactions of the purchased medications are automatically played. Meanwhile, the system pushes a detailed medication guide to customers via its official WeChat account, covering administration methods, dosage and usage, dietary recommendations and restrictions, management of missed or excessive doses, adverse drug reactions, and lifestyle precautions. Through this intelligent pharmaceutical care system, customers no longer rely on staff recommendations for medication purchases. This approach not only addresses trust issues associated with human recommendations but also significantly improves staff work efficiency, while helping customers ensure safe medication use.
After purchasing medications, customers will regularly receive customized health tips, lifestyle recommendations, and disease-related knowledge throughout the course of treatment. This ensures continued support for self-health management after they leave the pharmacy, thereby improving treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction with the medications.
Furthermore, Jiankang Youxuan Pharmacy has partnered with Miaobao, the insurtech platform under Miao Health, to provide customers with targeted insurance solutions. In addition to medication and health services, it offers directional coverage services to comprehensively manage customers' medication and health risks.
It is worth noting that even if residents near Health Choice Pharmacy do not have regular medication needs, they can visit the store at any time for free health monitoring. Leveraging the AIoT technical service capabilities of Miao Health Group, Health Choice Pharmacy has customized an all-in-one health screening kiosk capable of measuring dozens of physical health indicators, helping nearby residents stay informed about their health status and disease risks at any time.
Currently, Miaoyao is leveraging its digital service capabilities to collaborate with pharmaceutical companies and insurance institutions in providing integrated marketing services. This approach has accelerated the off-hospital deployment of prescription drug sales for pharmaceutical enterprises and fostered synergy with offline Health Choice Pharmacies, thereby improving patients’ treatment quality and satisfaction with medications. In the future, the Miaoyao platform will accelerate the integration of the health industry chain, continue to explore incremental markets, and achieve win-win outcomes for all stakeholders.