Quezon City launches telemedicine system for COVID-19 patients

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government, in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH), has launched a telemedicine system to provide remote medical assistance to confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.

Called QC COVID Telemed, the program is an online system that allows patients undergoing home quarantine or admitted to the city’s community caring facilities to consult with their doctors without having to personally meet them.

Mayor Joy Belmonte said the program would minimize the exposure of healthcare workers as it would limit physical contact with their COVID-19 patients.

It would also enable doctors who are limited from doing full-time hospital duties, such as those who are already seniors or have comorbidities, to continue performing their profession with no restrictions, she added.

“Through telemedicine, our doctors no longer need to physically visit their patients to do rounds. They can log on to the system and they can do online consultation with their patients,” Belmonte pointed out.

The mayor also accepted 15 laptops and desktops the DOH donated for the program. These will be distributed in HOPE facilities and selected health centers in the city.

Project coordinator Perry Dominguez said the program could be the start of the digitalization of the city’s healthcare system.

“Given our situation now, telemedicine has a multiplier effect as our limited number of doctors can practice their field and care for more patients,” said Dominguez, who also heads the city’s local economic investments and promotions office.

“We look forward to more developments in this system where eventually, patients with other illnesses will also be given the same opportunity to have their medical needs addressed,” he added.