Doctor consultations conducted online and on the phone during the COVID-19 pandemic are addressing the need to decongest hospitals by allowing patients to have virtual “house calls” by medical professionals.
The online and phone consultations are also preventing the spread of the coronavirus with the use of these contactless modes of consultation.
At a time when medical professionals face great risks of COVID-19 infection and quicker assessments and treatments for patients are crucial, technologies such as smartphones, mobile apps, and social media are bridging the gaps created by the public health emergency.
Good News Pilipinas lists these 5 online and telephone resources for consultations regarding COVID-19:
Department of Health COVID-19 Hotline
Volunteer doctors from the Philippine College of Physicians and the University of the East-Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center are serving as consultants for the Department of Health’s hotline.
Call DOH Hotline 1555, or (02) 894-COVID (26843).
Lung Center OPD Hotline
The Lung Center of the Philippines opened up an Out Patient Department (OPD) Hotline Consultation for on-the-phone consultations regarding COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses like asthma, tuberculosis, and more. LCP also maintains the COVID Ask Force Chatbot on Facebook Messenger.
Call LCP OPD Hotline 155-225 Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
Bayanihan Na! UP-PGH COVID-19 Ops Center
The University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital and PLDT’s Enterprise Business Group set up the Bayanihan Na! COVID-19 Operations Center manned by student volunteers. One could call for consultation or for donation/ volunteer inquiries.
The 24/7 hotline is 155-200, and more information can be found on their website in this link.
Telimed Management and Medgate Hotline
This hotline is open to any health consultation, both COVID-related or non-COVID. It is free to consult.
Call (02) 8424-1724
KonsultaMD
Headed by Globe Telehealth Inc., this number is free to call for Globe and TM users 24/7. Prior to the partnership with the DOH, it was also accessed on a subscription basis.
Call the toll-free number i79880 and its landline (02) 7798-8000
The University of the Philippines has offered free counseling for frontliners, patients, and anyone severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The need for reliable information regarding COVID-19 prompted the UP College of Mass Communication to set up the Factrakers project that combats COVID-19 misinformation online.
SEND CHEERS in the comments below to the teams behind these innovative ways for people to receive virtual house calls to keep both doctors and patients safe from COVID 19 infection.
Want to know how to be a Proud Pinoy? Like, Follow, Subscribe to GoodNewsPilipinas.com, and our socials Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Good News Pilipinas! TV on YouTube, for new story notifications, and e-mail newsletters for updates on more Filipino Pride stories.
