Category: Case studies

Patientprimary, a division of mdgroup, works with B4B Payments to provide swift and easy expense reimbursement to support clinical trial participation.

About Patientprimary

Patientprimary, division of mdgroup, facilitates remarkable patient experiences at every stage of the clinical journey. Powered by next-generation care management tools and technologies, their solutions focus on the four key metrics of a successful clinical trial: recruitment, engagement, retention, and trial outcomes.

The situation

When founded in 2017, Patientprimary supported rare trials with ultra-hard-to-find participants. That all changed in 2020 as governments and research centres provided additional support to get patients to trial fast. Patientprimary responded by widening its reach to support trials for less rare diseases. With global reporting on the high-profile vaccine and COVID treatment trials throwing the clinical research process into the spotlight, there was increased interest and an uptick in people signing up to participate. Between 2020 and 2021, there were over 20,000 clinical trials in the US alone.

With increased participant numbers come more opportunities to develop life-changing treatments, but increased scale also brings a need for innovation to ensure that trials continue to run smoothly and efficiently. Delays in the reimbursement of expenses incurred, for example travelling to clinics, can lead to participants having a negative experience, which can often result in them not completing the trial.  Like many industries, the clinical research industry has had to look to digital technologies to deliver trials at an increased scale while maintaining safe working practices in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The solution

The global clinical trials market is expected to grow at a rate of 5.7% annually until 2028. An essential aspect of clinical trials is keeping participants engaged and appropriately reimbursed for expenses incurred. Card-based reward schemes can offer participants immediate return on their contributions and the ability to spend in millions of locations worldwide.

Patientprimary seamlessly used B4B’s programme to distribute funds to participants in a wide range of countries using GBP, EUR or USD cards. The ease of use for both the clinics and participants as a method of reimbursing trial participants improves the trial experience and crucially increases the retention in follow-ups, reducing the need to recruit additional participants. In addition to reimbursing participants, they supported participants who were incurring significant costs travelling from home by preloading the card ahead of time to support them along their journey. 

Our card-based reward programme also encouraged ongoing engagement by offering instant compensation for completing tasks such as diary entries, meaning that researchers can ensure that data is gathered promptly and that participants are kept engaged for the duration of the trial, improving data quality. Our iOS and Android app allows cardholders to view their balance and transactions and upload photo expense receipts where required, with the latest biometric login features for the highest levels of cardholder security. 

The benefits

‘’B4B payments’ innovative solutions offered an effective method of reimbursing and compensating trial participants, increasing the likelihood of compliance and of attendance at follow-up visits, and potential participation in follow-up and future trials.’’

Our card solutions paired with Patientprimary services and processes, eliminated the need for trial participants to pay up-front and apply for reimbursement, encouraged ongoing compliance by offering instant rewards with a card-based reward scheme and ensured Patientprimary will be kept in front of mind for returning participants with our fully branded card solution.

B4B played a vital part in supporting Patientprimary in their journey, helping to drive improved participation levels and maintaining smoother and more efficient processes.

To find out more, contact us today!

We are proud that our solutions have helped protect the homeless during the pandemic by providing shelter.

About Thames Reach

Thames Reach is a charity based in London, supporting people facing homelessness through prevention, response, and recovery. The charity specialises in helping people with complex and multiple needs, including mental health, drug and alcohol use. It manages a range of services, including street outreach, frontline hostels, and day services, specialising in support of housing and employment schemes. Thames Reach’s mission is to assist homeless and vulnerable adults in finding decent homes, building supportive relationships, and leading fulfilling lives.

The situation

The financial exclusion was a massive hurdle for homelessness during the pandemic. Homeless people don’t have the facilities and documentation to open a typical bank account. As measures were introduced to curb the virus, many services moved online and being unbanked created additional problems with day-to-day payments and accessing government support systems. At the height of COVID-19, when paying for things in person became a problem, this group of individuals was more excluded than ever.

During the pandemic, payments were provided under Government contracts, following an order to get everyone off the streets. This allowed Thames Reach to provide essential payments to help victims during the most challenging times of need. 

An issue for them was how to pay government aid in a way that doesn’t put support victims at risk of being targeted as known carriers of cash.

They wanted to implement better control over expenditure and reduce the risks associated with the distribution of funds for both the recipient and the charity workers.

The solution

Thames Reach plays a crucial role in helping to address social inequality and providing intervention to individuals at critical times of need. Its mission is to assist the homeless and vulnerable men and women to find decent homes, build supportive relationships and lead fulfilling lives off the streets of London.

B4B Payments expense cards have been one of the critical measures put in place to help support those who are homeless and at risk.

Working with B4B Payments, Thames Reach found an easy-to-use digital solution to help clear the streets of homelessness during the pandemic. Homeless people were deemed the most at-risk group due to their inability to shelter and protect themselves against COVID-19.

The B4B payments system and card allowed outreach workers to make direct payments to support vulnerable people on the capital’s streets. Their team leaders used the B4B system to keep track of government disbursements when buying food, clothing and shelter, subsequently helping at-risk individuals get on with their lives and reach more positive outcomes. 

The benefits

With their B4B prepaid cards, Thames Reach received unique login details for the management portal that enabled access only via their fixed IP address.  The burden and risks associated with cash handling were eliminated by putting funds on a virtual prepaid card. Our prepaid cards have reduced administrative strain and overall cost for the charity, making them more efficient and agile and ensuring more donations and payments were spent supporting the victims in need rather than paying for support services. 

Once an individual was identified as at risk and in need of support, the process of paying for accommodation was fulfilled digitally – benefitting both workers within the Thames Reach offices and the people they serve.  Funds were safely transferred to the B4B float, and payment was made to the merchants without needing cash or vouchers, all administered by an intuitive, easy-to-use payment card and management portal.  

Here is what Martin Hubbard, Head of Finance had to say:

By providing our front-line staff with pre-paid credit cards we enable them to provide immediate support to our clients but within a framework that gives us control over how much can be spent by each employee

Fintechs have a considerable responsibility to break down legacy barriers within the banking and financial services and make financial services more accessible to those in need. With our help, Thames Reach has now achieved the best possible system for supporting victims’ homelessness, allowing payments to at-risk individuals remotely and securely.

To find out more, contact us today!

He has been awarded a virtual card sent to his email, where he can spend online or in-store.

We are incredibly proud to announce that Steve Meacher, the Customer Service Manager for B4B Payments, has won the B4B Above and Beyond Award (UK)!

Being recognised for your hard work is always a great feeling. It’s even better when that recognition comes from your colleagues. That’s why we hold this award to give all employees the opportunity, to nominate a colleague they believe embodies our core company values.

This award is also a way to show appreciation for those who go above and beyond in their work. We believe rewarding our employees is essential in creating a positive and supportive work environment where everyone can succeed. Here is what Steve had to say:

1. How do you feel about winning the award?

At first, I was surprised as I didn’t expect to be nominated. It’s lovely being recognised for my contribution to the business by colleagues.

2. Was it easy to get started?

Registering for my virtual Mastercard was very simple when using the B4B Payments app. It took no more than two minutes; the longest part was trying to choose a username! Once I was registered, it was easy to find the card details. There is also information on how to use the virtual card and the contact us button so I can send a message to Customer Service should I have any additional questions.

3. Where and when do you plan to spend your virtual card?

I plan on spending my virtual card funds on new winter clothes, as it’s just around the corner. It’s great that I can use my virtual card online, add it to my Apple wallet and use it in-store to pay, should I see anything I like whilst I’m out shopping.

4. Why do you think this is an excellent way to reward employees?

I think it’s a great way to reward staff because they will feel acknowledged for their hard work by their employee and colleagues.

Prepaid virtual cards are the perfect choice

Organising an effective reward and recognition scheme in the workplace can be a challenge. You want to give your employees something that will boost motivation and productivity, but you also don’t want to break the bank. Our prepaid virtual cards are the perfect solution! They’re flexible so that you can tailor them to everyone’s needs. They’re a great way to attract top talent into your business. You’ll stand out from the competition by giving them something they want.

We provide the option to brand your cards with a cardholder app fully. Your employees can also add the card to their Google Pay and Apple Pay wallets!

Our prepaid virtual cards are the perfect choice if you’re looking for a way to give your employees the recognition they deserve. To find out more, contact us today!