The delivery of healthcare was already evolving at a rapid pace before the COVID-19 crisis, but the crisis has accelerated this transformation. The use of digital health technology has been critical in the fight against the novel Coronavirus.
Several countries used integrated digital technology in government-coordinated containment processes such as testing and contact tracing during the pandemic, which helped in the early flattening of incidence curves in some cases. Telehealth is a twenty-first-century approach that is both patient-centred and protects patients, physicians, and others.
Healthcare for Filipinos is becoming more accessible with the launch of the country’s first fully integrated health and wellness mobile app by a Philippine health tech company, as it makes history with the country’s first and largest nationwide virtual medical mission in celebration of its national wellness day.
This two-day virtual event, a first in the telehealth and healthcare industries, will take place on August 28-29, 2021. During national wellness day, app users from all over the country can receive free online teleconsultations from a panel of specialised doctors, including dermatologists, gastroenterologists, internists, gynaecologists, paediatricians, and psychiatrists, among others.
Consultations with doctors are free, and booking fees are waived. Furthermore, the app provides a gift of wellness to Filipinos, particularly during this period of increased restrictions, by allowing users from all over the country to gain much-needed access to health professionals from the safety and comfort of their own homes.
Users can access fitness and nutrition programmes, wellness, and parenting solutions ranging from pregnancy to family health management, in addition to all-day video consultations with doctors. The app’s online health shop features over 3,000 health and wellness product SKUs ranging from food to baby products to skin and body care.
The health app is a high-performance mobile app backed by a who’s who of top names in healthcare, wellness, and technology. For the app’s doctors and patients, a health data company integrates digital care tools and data. Another multi-award-winning cloud-native, IT digital enablement platform ensures a consistent, end-to-end customer experience. Followed by healthcare technologies enables the app to address Covid-19 concerns, diagnosis, care, and treatments.
A world-leading communications technology company and Canada’s leader in digital health technology. To name a few, another tech health tech company will offer integrated, high-quality, and cost-effective medical care, as well as the Philippines’ e-payment servicer for secure, hassle-free payment transactions.
OpenGov Asia reported that Philippine’s healthcare organisations are gradually embracing digitisation, with healthcare executives frequently citing the sensitive nature of medical care as an excuse for the low consumption of digital healthcare services. In reality, patients are willing to use digital services if they meet their needs and are of high quality. Another reason cited for the slow rate of adoption is that most healthcare providers frequently feel the need to be innovative in terms of design and features. Patients, on the other hand, do not anticipate innovative features. Instead, they seek efficient processes, improved accessibility, and human interaction.
Correspondingly, the Philippines launched another healthcare platform last year, the first healthcare app to allow users to consult a doctor via video, order medication for delivery, and schedule clinic and lab appointments.
Although the ultimate COVID-19 solution will be multifaceted, it is one of the effective ways to use existing technologies to facilitate optimal service delivery while minimising the risk of direct person-to-person transmission. The use of telemedicine during epidemic conditions (COVID-19 pandemic) could improve epidemiological research, disease control, and clinical case management.
As the COVID-19 epidemic spreads globally, calls for expanded use of telehealth as innovative solutions clearly highlight unmet needs in the global healthcare system. Telehealth has the potential to address many of the major challenges in providing health care during the COVID-19 outbreak. Consequently, telehealth can help us avoid direct physical contact and reduce the risk of COVID transmission and finally provide continuous care to the community.
