TELEMEDICINE. Officials of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) led by Regional Director Ernesto Granada (center in blue jacket) visits a rural health unit in Calbiga, Samar in this June 6, 2023 photo. The DOST has already deployed 71 RxBox in Eastern Visayas region, providing telemedicine service access to rural health units. (Photo courtesy of DOST Region 8)
CALBIGA, Samar – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has already deployed 71 RxBox in the Eastern Visayas region, providing telemedicine services to rural health units (RHUs).
DOST regional director Ernesto Granada said on Wednesday that since 2018 until this year, RHUs in six provinces have been receiving RxBox, a biomedical device integrated with six medical sensors capable of capturing physiologic readings and transmitting health information using the electronic medical records.
“We have prioritized RHUs in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas a medical device that can be used for diagnostic procedures as well as storage of electronic medical record, ensuring patients get the necessary medical services they need,” Granada told the Philippine News Agency during a project visit here.
RxBox is a biomedical device integrated with six medical sensors, which capture physiologic findings to aid in the assessment and diagnosis of the patient's health condition, and store and transmit data through electronic medical records.
Developed by physicians and engineers from the University of the Philippines, the six medical sensors include a blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter, skin surface body temperature, electrocardiogram, fetal doppler, tocometer and fetal movement marker.
In the case of this town, the device can check 50 patients daily. Each unit has a price of PHP100,000, with additional costs for training for workers, communications infrastructure for the device and other features, according to DOST.
In Leyte province, these telehealth devices are in RHUs in the towns of Mayorga, Burauen, Lapaz, San Isidro, Baybay City, Dulag, Kananga, Alangalang, Abuyog, Bato, MacArthur, Isabel, Albuera, Calubian, Hilongos and Leyte.
Other recipients include RHUs in Malitbog, Anahawan District Hospital, Pintuyan, San Francisco, Hinunangan, Macrohon, Liloan, Hinundayan, Saint Bernard, San Juan, Silago, Sogod, Padre Burgos, San Ricardo, Tomas Oppus and Bontoc towns in Southern Leyte.
In Samar, these areas are in Sta. Rita, Sta. Margarita, Paranas, San Jorge, Basey, Villareal, Calbiga, Pinabacdao, Marabut, Daram, Tarangnan, Jiabong, San Sebastian, San Jose de Buan, Almagro, Matuginao, Talalora, Sto. Niño, Pagsanghan and Hinabangan.
They can also be found in Guiuan, Gen. MacArthur, Salcedo, Sulat, Hernani and Salcedo in Eastern Samar; Pambujan, Lavezares, Biri, San Roque, Palapag and Laoang in Northern Samar; Kawayan, Culaba, Caibiran, Biliran, Almeria and Cabucgayan in Biliran province.
The presence of these technologies in the community will hopefully reduce child mortality, improve maternal health and detect non-communicable diseases. (PNA)
