The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) opened an online clinic for patients who are unable to visit their doctors amid the enhanced community quarantine.
Benito Atienza, PMA Vice President, said at least 100 of its members joined the initiative. They are also looking to have more doctors on board.
“The patients can visit the website and click the button for consultations. There will be 12 questions to be asked on medical history, at madali lang naman po ito sagutan [it’s easy to answer],” Atienza said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV on Wednesday.
“Mayroon rin pong video [we also have video] on COVID-19 [for the patients’ guidance],” Atienza added.
Likewise, Atienza assured that patient information would remain confidential in docph.org following the Data Privacy Law.
Also read: DOH launches telemedicine hotline, a free 24/7 doctor consultation for MM residents
Philippine Medical Association Online Clinic Operation Hours
According to Atienza, the doctors on duty will contact the patient via DOCPH’s Facebook Messenger account, or through telephone if the patient does not have a Facebook Messenger account.
Patients who want to avail of the service should go to http://docph.org/ from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Questions, however, can still be sent beyond 9 p.m., but the answers will be provided when the online clinic opens the next day.
“Puwede ho kami magbigay ng reseta through Messenger, at tinatanggap naman po iyon sa mga botika. Katulad ko po, pediatrician, minsan po ang bata may rashes, may kaunting ubo o sipon na hindi naman na kailangan dalhin sa ospital,” Atienza said.
(We can give prescription through Messenger and pharmacies are accepting them. As for me, I am a pediatrician. Sometimes kids have rashes, mild flu or cough which do not need a consultation to a hospital.)
“Also, makakapagpayo na rin po kami kung may nararamdaman nga ang pasyente. Kung halimbawa po kailangan ng obstetrician, maire-refer po namin sila sa ospital kung saan sila malapit nakatira,,” Atienza added.
(We can also advise if the patient experienced symptoms. For example, there is a need for an obstetrician. We can refer them to a hospital near their home.)
Atienza then called on his PMA colleagues to come on board.
“One hundred plus pa lang po kami. Ang target po namin 1,000 doctors, kaya nananawagan po kami sa aming mga kasamahan na sumali. Protected naman po ang privacy nila rito, kasi meron pong sariling account ang docph.org for the consultation,” Atienza added.
(We are only 100 plus now. Our target is to have 1,000 doctors, so we ask our colleagues to join. Their privacy is protected here because each patient has their own account in docph.org for the consultation.)