The Covid19 pandemic has brought a lot of changes in the lives of people not only in the Philippines but all over the globe. The impacts are many and are still being felt heavily most especially in the field of healthcare. The healthcare system has never been challenged worldwide since the 1918 influenza pandemic popularly known as the Spanish Flu. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the spread of the virus caused an estimated 50 million of deaths worldwide and infected almost the third of world population in 1918 -1919. With CoVid19 seriously affecting a large number of the population, the need for adequate healthcare is a pressing problem. Developed countries even with advanced medical care suffered tremendously, even so for countries who lack efficient healthcare system.
The Healthcare Scenario in the Philippines During CoVid 19
The Philippines is not excluded from the havoc created by CoVid19. In fact, the healthcare challenge almost reached the brim of the system. Without vaccination, people had to practice health protocols such as using a face mask/face shield, strict handwashing, social distancing and quarantine. Isolation of infected individuals is also a means of curbing the virus from infecting people especially the most at risk population. People are prevented from going out of their homes during the Extreme Community Quarantine, thus resorting to online transactions for their basic needs such as food to the most trivial things such as potted plants. Question is, what about healthcare? How can people so scared from being infected with the virus seek medical consultation when they can not even go out to see their healthcare provider? What can be done to alleviate the problem of individuals already suffering from an illness, yet unsure where to go and what to do? The answer to this is telemedicine or telehealth.
Telemedicine in the Philippines: How it Works
Last May 26, 2020, the Department of Health (DoH), launched the first telemedicine in the country. The website called Healthnow.ph, caters to individuals who would like to seek consultation with a licensed doctor whether the illness is novel corona virus related or not. Filipinos can now consult their symptoms thru video call with volunteer licensed healthcare practitioners. In cooperation with Globe Capital Venture Holdings, Inc. (“GCVHI”), Vigos Ventures, Inc. (“Vigos”), and affiliates, the need for online consultations and video conferencing with doctors is now possible from Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 7:00 pm for free.
Other Solutions: Online Private Practice
For those patients who would rather be attended to by their private doctors without going to their clinics, telemedicine can also be beneficial. Virtual visits, a component of telemedicine can be scheduled and with these visits, patients are freed from the burdensome effort of preparation and transportation, of long patient queues in the clinic and most of all being exposed and at risk for corona virus infection. Online healthcare assistants and specialists can help in various task of running a virtual doctor's clinic such as appointment scheduling, health promotion and health status monitoring. This is a significant change in the new normal where an online professional provides the same assistance as a face-to-face consultation without the risk for both patients and doctors alike.
The advantages of online consultations in the healthcare should be considered by Filipino doctors not only for their patient's convenience, but for their own as well.