Telemedicine to get boost from Globe’s network upgrade

Globe Telecom expects telemedicine, a fast-growing segment amid the COVID-19 pandemic, to gain further ground as network upgrades are completed.

Telemedicine allows patients to receive medical care and advice remotely. The company said in a statement this would benefit Filipinos dealing with the ongoing pandemic but also in areas lacking basic health-care services.

“With only one doctor for every 33,000 Filipinos, telemedicine becomes a viable alternative to the traditional visit to hospitals or clinics,” Globe said in a statement.

“Telemedicine can immediately connect a patient to a doctor whenever they require medical assistance regardless of location, thus, saving time, effort and money,” it added.

Globe has a direct footprint in telemedicine. Through wholly owned 917Ventures, the company operates two telehealth services: KonsultaMD, in partnership with Mexico’s Salud Interactiva, and HealthNow, which is powered by Vigos Health, an ACHealth subsidiary.

Both KonsultaMD and HealthNow give the public access to skilled and licensed Filipino doctors who can provide safe medical assessment and advice on basic health care and proper medication, issue e-prescriptions and read laboratory results.

“Health care needs to be accessible anytime, anywhere,” Cholo Tagaysay, CEO of Global Telehealth Inc, which runs KonsultaMD, said in the statement.

“Through telemedicine, we can provide everyone equal access to quality care without any geographic restriction,” he added.

KonsultaMD also provides medical advice via phone for those who are not tech-savvy or those who are budget conscious. Video consultation is fast gaining ground for both KonsultaMD and HealthNow as it allows the doctors to actually see the patient’s health problem on screen, Globe said. INQ