MANILA, Philippines — Beauty queen, host and youth advocate Catriona Gray recently hosted an afternoon when the first digital health app, MWell, celebrated the many firsts in a little over a year of its pilot launch.
The former Miss Universe announced MWell’s pioneering efforts that helped redefine not only telemedicine, but the entire healthcare landscape. She was joined by Metro Pacific Investment Corporation (MPIC) chairman, president and CEO Manny Pangilinan and Metro Pacific chief finance, risk and sustainability officer Chaye Cabal-Revilla, as well as the officers of the digital health app.
“Today, booking a consultation even late at night is possible with the digital healthcare, MWell, with its innovative platform that has been well received by hundreds of doctors nationwide,” Catriona pointed out. “That is because the interface was created by doctors for doctors.”
Catriona, who was recently nominated in the Best Host/Presenter in the Digital category at the Asian Television Awards to be held on Dec. 1, was joined by other celebrities virtually in support of the health technology platform.
MWell, however, is not MPIC’s first investment in healthcare. Back in 2007, the company invested in Makati Medical Center (MMC). At that time, too, the group was already engaged in medical missions in various parts of the country.
“With the MWell app, it allows more medical missions in more parts of the country whether on wheels or digitally to be conducted. In a way, the digital reach of MWell gives it more permanence. It’s a more durable kind of service that can be extended to the people,” Pangilinan said.
MWell’s primary goal is to improve health services, especially for all its provincial hospitals. “When we first invested in one particular provincial hospital a decade ago in a major city in the province, they had to go to Cebu or even Manila to perform an open-heart surgery on a patient,” said Pangilinan.
“One of our primary goals, eventually for all of our provincial hospitals, is to be able to perform even sensitive procedures. Maybe not all but at least to be upgraded. So, people in that particular town or city will be able to benefit from the local services they render and cheaper.”
MWell is the Philippines’ first fully integrated health app which brings together experts in technology, medicine, wellness and healthcare in one sustainable living ecosystem. This high-performing platform gives access to quality healthcare.
MWell will not duplicate what the doctors and hospitals are doing. Revilla said, “MWell will be in the virtual space. MWell gives Filipinos the ability to extend health services across the country and even abroad. That is the next big step because technology will break down geographic barriers. That is very important for Filipinos.”
MWell makes sure the app and the platform are usable and easy for doctors, as well as patients. “A doctor simply has to take a picture of his PRC license and all the details will be uploaded automatically into our system. Very easy to use.”