By John Mark V. Tuazon
Computerworld Philippines
June 11, 2010

The ability of an emerging technology called telemedicine to easily connect doctors to patients in the outskirts of archipelagic nations such as the Philippines can potentially curb healthcare problems in the country, a telepresence vendor commented Monday.

Telemedicine, which uses videoconferencing technology to link two individuals across vast distances, can provide live interaction between doctors and patients that can contribute to general improvements in healthcare.

Achieving access to healthcare providers, according to Ron Emerson, director of global healthcare markets for Polycom, a global UC (unified communications) provider, remains to be among the top concerns of nations around the world.

“[Telemedicine] is important because it dismantles barriers as to when and where healthcare is provided,” he explained.

Emerson noted that healthcare problems around the world are essentially the same, which include limited funds, large travel distances, shortages in healthcare providers, aging populations, and quick advancements in medicine, among others.

It is important, therefore, for governments to carefully look at the challenges and see how technology can overcome them.

Telemedicine, he said, is a potent tool for curbing healthcare issues—especially on the aspect of cost and access—because it is more efficient to move information than to move patients. “Doctors are shown audio and video of their patients, and from there could make the call to move the patient or not. There are huge savings from that decision alone,” he elaborated.

In the Philippines, Emerson noted, the biggest challenge lies in the shortage of healthcare providers, owing to the brain drain which loses local expertise to jobs abroad. “Telemedicine can be used for continuing education of doctors, especially on latest developments in medicine,” he related. “It can educate nurses and doctors on how to do their jobs [properly].”

Still, widespread adoption of the technology cannot be realized without the support of the government, he was quick to add. “The first thing to do is to go to the policy makers, to look at the technology and integrate it into the [national] strategic plan,” he shared.

Emerson said the government has to weave technology into the fabric of its policies, and see how technology can achieve benefits of increased access to healthcare.

Interestingly, Rene Valladolid, channel sales director for ASEAN, Hong Kong and Taiwan for Polycom, was happy to note that Polycom is currently working with a public medical entity—the name of which he refused to disclosed for obvious reasons—to provide end-to-end video collaboration across the country, and is currently on the second phase of implementation.

Valladolid said telemedicine has been very big in the country for the past years, as the company garnered around 70% share of the market. “There are plenty of projects in the private and public sectors, but we’re targeting big government hospitals mostly,” he added.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Google-Motorola Mobility merger will be done this week
• Microsoft Renews Free Xbox 360 with Purchase of Windows PC Deal
• Upcoming Salesforce.com release adds real-time chat capabilities
• Microsoft: Too old and too big to survive?
• No price cuts for Windows 8 upgrades, says analyst

 Print This Post