Telehealth is a beacon of hope to address issues of access and quality: KonsultaMD CEO

In a world reshaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare landscape in the Philippines has experienced a profound transformation. People Matters spoke to Cholo Tagaysay, CEO of integrated healthcare app KonsultaMD, on the evolution of telehealth in the Philippines and the impact it has had on the nation's healthcare sector.

How has the telehealth landscape evolved in the Philippines in recent years, and how does your company fit into this evolving ecosystem?

As we have all been made to experience, the pandemic has changed everything about the way things used to work and how we lived our lives. In the Philippines, patients and doctors have constantly experienced pain points in the healthcare system around reach and continuity of care - specifically poor and inequitable access to healthcare services, negative health-seeking behavior, and high out-of-pocket costs. This situation has been present even before the pandemic - but with COVID-19, these have been brought even more sharply into focus.

But within the circumstance, there arose an opportunity, particularly for telehealth, driven by rapidly evolving technologies, but primarily by the tremendous leaps in internet connectivity.

While growth in Philippine telehealth began in ‘98 with acts being proposed in congress from 2012-2016 - it unfortunately did not pick up due to fragmented lobbying, and pre-pandemic systems focused too highly on face-to-face healthcare delivery. (Source)

The pandemic changed all of that and pushed an accelerated adoption of telehealth. Now, Juniper Research projects a global annual growth rate of 17.1% in teleconsultations - from 348 million in 2020 to 765 million in 2025. In the Philippines alone, we saw a 50% increase in telehealth services during COVID-19.

There is a need for effective telehealth delivery, supportive policies and frameworks, and better acceptance of this technological and societal shift among patients and providers.

KonsultaMD is an integrator platform that envisions to bring health and care to every Filipino in one tap. With its goal of promoting continuity of care as a simple connected journey and breaking the silos in the Philippine healthcare space, KonsultaMD is poised to grow and support the digital transformation of the country’s healthcare services amidst the new normal.

Our promise is for KonsultaMD to give patients simple and easy access to the care they need. KonsultaMD extends the frontlines of healthcare beyond brick and mortar. Today, we've helped thousands of lives all over the country to easily consult with licensed healthcare providers, get virtual prescriptions, buy their medicines for home delivery, access diagnostic booking either for in-clinic, in-hospital and for home service.

How has digital health redefined patient care in a country like the Philippines where roughly half of the population has no access to primary healthcare facilities within 30 minutes?

Digital health has bridged the geographical gap. Telehealth has allowed patients, particularly those in remote and underserved areas, to consult with healthcare professionals without the need for long journeys to reach healthcare facilities. This eases the financial and psychological burden on individuals and their families and can lead to more timely care.

Telehealth will be the healthcare sector’s future and the country will need to regard it as a key component in its health infrastructure, especially in light of universal healthcare coverage.

According to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, there are 27 provinces in the Philippines with less than 0.5 hospital beds per 1,000 population. How can digital health be beneficial in addressing this shortage?

Given the shortage of medical facilities and practitioners in the country, the adoption of technology in delivering healthcare services is imperative for the enhancement of the nation's healthcare sector. (Reference)

By providing remote medical services, digital health not only enhances patient access to healthcare but also improves care coordination, reduces the need for extensive travel, and allows decongestion of facilities through effective triaging.

Data-driven insights from digital health can additionally assist in efficient resource allocation.

KonsultaMD has been in digital health since 2015. What impact has your telehealth platform had on improving healthcare accessibility and quality in the Philippines?

We have greatly impacted healthcare accessibility and quality in the country. Consultations have grown by +2,775% vs pre-pandemic. Since 2015, KonsultaMD has provided subscription models that remain one of the most affordable in the market. Added to the fact that it is the platform that pioneered on-demand teleconsultations, 24/7.

In 2022, KonsultaMD consolidated with other leading telehealth platforms HealthNow and AIDE resulting in the launch of its superapp in March 2023 further solidifying its offerings across teleconsultations, medicine ordering and delivery, diagnostics, and home care. It now has a base of over 3M users.

We also take care of healthcare information dissemination and awareness campaigns in online executions and social media, especially in the realm of mental health.  KonsultaMD released a mental health anthem in collaboration with some of the best Filipino music artists.

What does telehealth need to grow within the Philippines? What are the factors already in place that will support its effectiveness? What is still lacking?

In order to grow telehealth in the country, we’ve identified the following as key:       

● Interoperability

Seamless exchange and integration of health data and information across different systems, software, and organizations.

●  Patient & provider acceptance of information technology (IT)

For patients, acceptance is driven by factors such as convenience, access to information, and improved engagement in their own care.

For providers, acceptance is shaped by its potential to improve clinical workflows, enhance patient care, and reduce administrative burdens.

●   Regulations and Policy

Ensuring data security and privacy is a concern for both patients and healthcare providers.

Update how the Medical Act of 1959 defines the practice of medicine in Section 10(a) to include not just physically assessing the patient

●   Telecommunication Infrastructure

Internet connectivity and access are challenges in rural areas, limiting the widespread adoption of telehealth

By expanding into other parts of Southeast Asia, what advantages do you hope to bring to the industry?

The health tech promises of connecting patients to providers is perhaps best demonstrated in the Philippines. We are an archipelago of over 7,000 islands with numerous challenges in HRH (Human Resources in Healthcare), infrastructure support and diversity in language and culture. The best practices that we learn from our execution and implementation would likely be the best practices and advantages we can bring to the industry.