We’re excited to share a new milestone for Foundation Health: a strategic partnership with Shields Health Solutions, to bring AI pharmacy solutions to health systems nationwide.
This partnership brings together Shields’ deep clinical and operational expertise across health system specialty pharmacies with Foundation Health’s AI operating system. Together, we’re focused on reducing administrative burden, accelerating access to therapy, and supporting pharmacy teams as they deliver high-quality, patient-centered care at scale.
Modernizing Prior Authorization with AI
The partnership initially focuses on prior authorization (PA) - one of the most persistent sources of delay, manual work, and frustration across specialty pharmacy operations.
By embedding AI directly into existing pharmacy workflows, Foundation Health helps health systems:
- Reduce manual PA submissions and follow-ups
- Streamline status tracking and coordination
- Improve speed to therapy while remaining compliant and auditable
- Free pharmacy and clinical teams to focus on high-touch patient care
Rather than adding another point solution, Foundation Health’s platform integrates seamlessly within existing health system infrastructure - modernizing workflows without disrupting day-to-day operations.
Built for Health System Specialty Pharmacy
Shields currently partners with nearly 80 health systems nationwide, supporting specialty pharmacy programs that improve access, affordability, and outcomes for patients with complex conditions. This partnership enables deeper investment in Foundation Health’s platform and accelerates our ability to scale best-in-class specialty pharmacy workflows across a broader range of real-world use cases.
Over time, the collaboration will expand beyond prior authorization to additional workflows, including:
- Medication adherence
- Patient experience and communication
- Financial assistance programs
- Care coordination
Together, we’re building a more connected, efficient foundation for specialty pharmacy operations - one that preserves the human touch while enabling teams to operate at scale.
“Driven by a shared commitment to elevating patient care and easing the administrative burden on care teams, we’re thrilled to partner with Shields Health Solutions to transform how prior authorization challenges are solved. By harnessing the power of AI and our technology across Shields’ national network of health system partners, we can free clinicians to focus on what matters most - delivering exceptional care to their patients,” said Umar Afridi, Founder and CEO of Foundation Health.
“This partnership will combine Foundation Health’s robust experience in pharmacy technology with Shields’ mission to keep the human touch at the core of what we do best - taking care of complex patients,” said Michael Ham, CEO of Shields Health Solutions. “After evaluating nearly every AI enablement solution on the market, we believe Foundation Health is the premier partner to deliver measurable and scalable results. It was paramount for us to identify a partner that shares our values and purpose: caring for patients with compassion, kindness, and integrity. This partnership allows us to start addressing ways AI can meaningfully optimize workflows without sacrificing the human touch that is central to our differentiated care model.”
What’s Ahead
This partnership represents another step forward in Foundation Health’s mission to power the next generation of AI-enabled healthcare infrastructure. By working closely with health systems and partners like Shields, we continue to build technology that is operationally sound, scalable, and designed for the realities of healthcare delivery.
We’re excited about what’s ahead - and grateful to the pharmacy teams and health systems we support every day.