DocPH, a month after

DocPH, a month after
Nelson Celis / The Manila Times / May 13, 2020
Posted by CenPEG May 13, 2020

Because of the unprecedented success of the Digital Online Consultation for our People’s Healthcare (DocPH) telemedicine system, the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) recently featured a YouTube video (https://youtu.be/IZX1I8aTzyU) on Docph.org showing some of its very satisfied patients posted on its Facebook public domain. The two-and-a-half-minute video humbly presents its current daily load of 800 to 1,000 patients a day being handled by more than 150 volunteer doctors online, here and abroad. This is their earnest way of supporting the Department of Health (DoH) and the entire nation in its fight against pandemic in the following manner:

To prevent crowding in hospitals due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic
To prevent the unnecessary exposure to Covid-19 of patients needing medical care and prescription electronically
To provide professional medical advice through non-physical contact
To set up a referral system within the locality for both Covid and non-Covid patients. For those diagnosed with Covid-19 disease, the patients are referred directly to the DoH for treatment.

In the video, a voice-over patient stated her comment, “Nagpapasalamat po ako sa PMA DocPH telekonsulta sa paglulunsad po ng programang ito na libreng konsultasyon online. Katunayan po, ako at ang aking asawa, at dalawang kaibigan, ay nabigyan ng consultation in time of [the] Covid pandemic. ‘Di na po tayo kailangang pumunta ng hospital at emergency room. At nakakausap po natin ang mga doktor dito na nagbibigay po sila ng resita na libre. Saludo po ako sa mga doctor na sumasagot sa aming pangangailangan.” Browsing through the DocPH Facebook page, it is noteworthy to cite some of the many patients’ comments about the services of the volunteer doctors:

“…Mabilis ang response sa chat and very accommodating. Doc took the time to answer my questions about my medical problem and prescribed me medications…Thank you, DocPH!
“Thank you Doc for being so kind and matiyaga sa mga tanong ko. Thumbs up sa DocPH! Now I can relax, na-check-up ako without leaving home.”
“Thank you so much, doc and DocPH, for answering all my questions about my health problems…still on medication and I’m looking forward for more free advice from our super bait na doc from UK…”
Thank you so much for the assistance… Sobrang friendly nila and quick to answer your queries…Second application ko pa lang nung gamot pero ramdam ‘yung pag-heal n’ya… Sobrang convenient for online consultation…”
“…Thank you po sa advice…Kumalma na po ako.”
“…You made us feel we are still secure even in times like this.”
“…Super late na ko nag-message (around midnight) pero may nag-assist pa din and because of that, maaga ako nakapunta sa pharmacy to buy the meds…”
“…Thank You po…for patiently answering all my concerns kahit madaling araw na.”
“…Kahit na madaling araw na, napaka accomodating po ni doc. As a mom mahirap makatulog kung may sakit anak mo, tapos wala ka pang malapitan dahil takot ka din lumabas at pumuntang hospital. Pero grabe God uses these people para tulungan tayo in times of crisis like this. Salamat po sa tulong ninyo at salamat sa Diyos sa mga buhay ninyo… kailangan pa kayo ng bansang Pilipinas!”
“…Super bilis mag respond and natutukan talaga niya ang mga may concern katulad ko…”
“…Nasagot po agad ‘yung consultation ko after ko mag-follow up and to think na hindi pa clinic hours! Just wow!”
“…Muli salamat po sa lahat ng mga doktor natin na buong pusong nagsisilbe para sa bayan…”

Those kind words speak exactly what the patients really felt about the doctors’ services. They were just so honest and eager to tell, and I was touched that they were entertained by the doctors even beyond 9 p.m. not only by local doctors, but also by Filipino doctors abroad! This is the kind of volunteerism that most of us Filipinos have in common, especially in a time of crisis or in dire need — the modern and high-tech kind of bayanihan!

Bayanihan is derived from the Filipino word “bayan” for community. It refers to a basic concept of Filipino culture, which means working together or communal work to reach a common objective. Back then in the rural areas, a group of people would normally transfer a whole house, called nipa hut, from one place to another — that’s bayanihan! The word bayanihan was also adopted in Republic Act 11469, or the “Bayanihan to Heal As One Act of 2020,” granting the President additional authority to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hence, the DocPH is a form of complex bayanihan wherein a group of Filipino doctors collaborate to help their sick ‘kababayans’ or countrymen, and at the same time helping DoH and the nation fight the pandemic.

Featured also in the DocPH website are YouTube videos showing the interview of former senator Joey Lina, the president of the League of Data Protection and Cybersecurity Advocates of the Philippines (LeaDCAP) with Dr. Vic Chua of the Beta Sigma Fraternity Medical Group (BSFMG); a CNN interview with Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao; and the DZBB radio interview with PMA Vice President Dr. Benito Atienza.

By the way, the DocPH is also a bayanihan project of the doctors from the PMA, BSFMG, Private Hospital Association of the Philippines Inc., Philippine Digital Medicine Society and from the information technology experts of LeaDCAP. And the good news, DocPH is as credible as the other five telehealth services for online medical consultation — visit yahoo news at https://sg.news.yahoo.com/6-credible-telehealth-services-online-020007563.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=ma.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/05/13/opinion/columnists/topanalysis/docph-a-month-after/724518/