AT LEAST 38 rural health units in the Cordillera Region will soon use Rx Box, a life-saving diagnostics box, allowing health workers in remote communities to consult with medical specialists accredited by the DOST in the urban areas.
According to Department of Science and Technology assistant regional director Dr. Nancy Banton, the tele-medical device will soon be installed in areas where there are no tertiary hospitals or no immediate medical or professional doctors to assist patients.
“Our major beneficiaries are persons with cardio-vascular problems and the pregnant mothers in the grassroots level, who needs immediate assistance while they are brought to a higher level of medical care,” she said.
Banton further explained the local health innovation can monitor the vital signs relating to the heart, thus, the results for electrocardiogram or ECG, heart pulse or meter, blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, heartbeat of a baby inside the womb, level of maternal contractions of a mother’s uterus during labor and temperature sensor.
She also said the region have already the facilities for the Rx Box.
“Things needed were already delivered but the deployment and training of users will be this February. Users identified are the midwives, doctors, nurses, information technology specialists who are assigned in the beneficiary areas,” Banton said.
Banton cited the device with built-in medical sensors capable of storing data in electronic medical record to be transmitted as health information via internet to facilitating tele-consultations as allowed or consented by patients.
She further specified that these devices will be delivered to all provinces in the region.
The DOST official added they have already conducted a pre-validation activity before the selection of beneficiaries as minimum requirement of the office.
“There has to be an internet access or signal in the RHU. We have partnered with the Department of Health in selecting sites for the project and also with the selection and training staff on the basic utilization of it. And all 38 RHU’s has complied to these basic requirements,” Banton said.
It was known from DOST the device was developed more than three years now by the University of the Philippines-Manila-National Telehealth Center and DOST which aims to provide better access to life-saving healthcare amenity in remote and underprivileged societies in the country.