Health should always be the primary concern of everyone. But due to the price increase in medical needs such as doctor's consultation fee, prescriptive drugs, and other medical expenses, some individuals or families rely on alternative medicine or self-medication instead of seeking medical attention to a doctor.
But do you know that there are medical facilities that aim to serve more families and develop a healthier community?
The Ayala Healthcare Holdings, Inc ( AC Health ) continues to expand to reach more communities through retail health and new technology. On its third-year operation, AC Health widens its reach to serve more families, and develop healthier communities.
Generika Drugstore, the pioneer in the retail of generic medicines, and FamilyDOC, a 3-in-1 primary care facility with the combined services of a clinic, a diagnostics facility, and a pharmacy.
With almost 800 stores nationwide, Generika Drugstore provides greater access to affordable yet quality generic medicines. More than the savings, which amounts up to 85%, Generika customers can also avail of additional in-store services such as free blood pressure check, computerized medicine guides, and scheduled free consultations. The pharmacy chain is also active in reaching more communities nationwide, through its series of community events, Gabay Kalusugan. Gabay Kalusugan promotes the value of preventive health and wellness and communicates the efficacy of generic medicines in the prevention and cure of certain diseases.
FamilyDOC is also reaching more communities in the northern part of Metro Manila, following its expansion in Caloocan, Marikina, and Quezon City. It aims to expand as far north as Valenzuela and Rizal. FamilyDOC’s current total of 40 clinics, located in Laguna, Cavite, Paranaque, Taguig, Pasig, Pateros, and Las Pinas, has served more than 157, 000 unique patients, to date. New services such as vaccination, 2D echo, and OB sonogram are now being offered in all FamilyDOC clinics.
In addition to offering quality primary care services, FamilyDOC also aims to promote preventive health and wellness. Clinics hold a series of community events, entitled Ministry of Moms, which aims to educate mothers on breastfeeding, nutrition, and basic first aid. Patients may also avail of discounts and promos by joining clubs, such as the Kiddie Club for pediatric patients, and the Care Club for patients with chronic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension. FamilyDOC also actively promotes health education online through its various social media campaigns. Long-term, the goal is for families and communities to become healthier.
AC Health President and CEO, Paolo Borromeo, said that the company is continuously strengthening its retail health network because of the crucial role it plays in keeping communities healthy.
“Generika and FamilyDOC are the first touch points of healthcare in the community and serve as the gatekeepers of health. By making our services more accessible and affordable for our patients, we are contributing to the overall health and wellness of the communities,” Borromeo said.
Innovating Healthcare through Technology
Aside from growing its retail health network, AC Health is also investing in various health technology solutions through Vigos. Vigos is AC Health’s digital arm that both develops and invests in new innovative technology. Vigos developed a proprietary electronic medical record system called Vigos EMR, which is being used across all FamilyDOC clinics. Vigos EMR streamlines processes in the clinic, thus enabling efficient and ensuring consistent quality care. The system has a data analytics function, which can be used for population health, such as examining the disease trend of a certain location. Through the data generated from Vigos EMR, FamilyDOC is able to develop patient-specific products and services.
More recently, Vigos launched an integrated mobile application called Vigos Care. Vigos Care provides 24/7 access to personal health records, doctor consultations, medicines purchase and delivery, and other corporate health benefits, all on a mobile phone. The app was designed to be a convenient platform for users to manage their health. Vigos Care also provides data on company-wide health trends that can help employers optimize healthcare benefits, and develop targeted health and wellness programs. Other unique features include integration across different health services, data portability, and customized analytics. Vigos Care is now being used by several corporations.
Meanwhile, MedGrocer, an FDA-licensed online pharmacy provides greater convenience for its patients and customers through its medicine delivery platform. Medicines can be ordered online and will be delivered the next day to the patient’s house. This set-up is ideal for patients who take maintenance medicines. AC Health invested in MedGrocer in February 2017.
“We want to expand the use of our health technology products to more health care professionals, and patients and customers. At the end of the day, our goal is to empower more people to track their own health, and develop a preventive mindset,” Borromeo said.
Vigos aims to develop and invest in more health technology solutions and to use technology to bring better healthcare to people.
“We put our patients, their families, and their communities at the center of what we do at AC Health. We are committed to continuously improve health care for more Filipinos, either in our facilities, or online,” Borromeo stressed.
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