Overview & Partnership
Wellstar’s presence at HLTH, the world’s largest health innovation conference, continues to be a platform to elevate our health system to the national stage, as well as a sourcing engine for transformative solutions. It was there that we met Parcel Health in 2024.
Founded by a pharmacist-turned-entrepreneur, Parcel Health is reimagining one of healthcare’s most ubiquitous items: the prescription pill bottle. Melinda Su-En Lee, PharmD, CEO and Co-Founder set out to create a more sustainable alternative, inspired by her pharmacy work and the environmental toll of plastic waste in her home country.
Her solution? A paper-based prescription bottle designed to replace the traditional plastic ones.
“I realized that so many parts of healthcare were failing not because people did not care, but because the tools we used were not built with sustainability or affordability in mind,” Lee said.
I realized that so many parts of healthcare were failing not because people did not care, but because the tools we used were not built with sustainability or affordability in mind.
Melinda Su-En Lee, PharmD, CEO and Co-Founder of Parcel Health.
After connecting at HLTH, the Catalyst team analyzed the company and brought the opportunity to Wellstar’s pharmacy leadership. The concept aligned with multiple priorities: sustainability, patient experience and cost stewardship.
In addition to Catalyst making a direct investment in Parcel Health, Wellstar launched a 120-day pilot at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center’s retail pharmacy, using Parcel Health paper bottles exclusively for prescriptions filled at the site.
Solution
Parcel Health manufactures paper-based prescription bottles that are curbside recyclable, and designed to meet the safety and durability standards required in pharmacy operations. The bottles can also be customized with health system branding, reinforcing organizational identity while demonstrating environmental responsibility.
Benefits
The results of the pilot were compelling across patient, environmental and financial dimensions.
Out of 120 respondents during the study, 8 out of 10 patients preferred the paper vials over traditional plastic bottles.
The pilot team at Wellstar Kennestone has also explored long-term scalability, evaluating needed changes to automation equipment and collaborating with Parcel Health to pursue key certifications.
“Partnering with Parcel Health has been an exceptional experience and a meaningful way to showcase Wellstar’s commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Austin Billings, Pharm.D., Wellstar Kennestone Retail Pharmacy Manager. “Throughout the pilot, we received positive feedback from both patients and staff. It was clear that this innovative approach resonated with our community.”
This environmental impact was tangible. With 25,200 paper-based bottles distributed:
These numbers are equivalent to:
“Our partnership with Parcel Health is a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate Wellstar’s commitment to the environment,” said Susan Wright, PharmD, VP of Pharmacy Services at Wellstar. “The bottles not only keep the medications protected from light and humidity, but they are also beautiful and easy to use. We received great feedback during the pilot, and we are already working on ideas for additional customization.”
Future Steps
Wellstar’s pharmacy leadership continues to work with Parcel Health to expand the rollout of Tully Tube to the wider healthcare system.
“We are looking forward to continued collaboration with Melinda and the team at Parcel Health,” Wright said.
For one, as part of Wellstar’s expanding technology advancement in pharmacy, Tully Tube is now undergoing compatibility certification for automation equipment that will be used at Wellstar’s central fill pharmacies.
This partnership represents a scalable model for how health systems can:
Parcel Health’s journey with Wellstar demonstrates how ideas from disrupting startups can become enterprise-ready solutions, and that transforming the world for future generations can begin one paper bottle at a time.
