THE BAGUIO General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) launched a telemedicine platform to help coronavirus and non-coronavirus related health needs of the public.
BGHMC explained those seeking medical advice for both coronavirus disease (Covid-19) related and non-related consultations can now seek medical consultations in the safety of their own homes.
The Department of Health (DOH) and the National Privacy Commission (NPC) earlier developed a framework for telemedicine services in a bid to improve access to health services during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
Under the DOH-NPC Joint Memorandum Circular, medical consultations over the phone, chat, short messaging service (SMS), and other audio and visual-conferencing platforms are considered telemedicine services in the country.
Healthcare providers conducting these consultations are allowed to issue electronic case reports and prescriptions.
For almost a month, the health facility scaled-down and even closed its out-patient department (OPD) services, which have been retransformed through telemedicine platform starting May 4.
Under the telemedicine platform, the public is advised to go to the official Facebook page of BHGMC to make their appointments.
All the doctors on the hotline are licensed and certified to provide telemedicine consultations.
Similar efforts have been undertaken by some medical groups, physicians, psychologists, and dentists who opened online consultation services to help decongest medical facilities.