Addressing the challenge of the Augustinian community to access medical consultation advice amid pandemic, the University of San Agustin Medical Clinic launched its TeleHealth program geared to provide online consultations to the Augustinian Community

Continuing the initiative begun by the university’s former Chief of Health Services unit, the TeleHealth program has officially started to cater to students and faculty with medical problems.

“The TeleHealth started through text and calls for employees who are here during the pandemic last year, and it was not until around September [2020] when they conceptualize the formal TeleHealth consultation platform,” shared Dr. Evangeline Barbara Go, chief of the Health Services Unit of the University.

USA TeleHealth appointment that can be seen on the university’s official website was made available in December. However, it was only by March of 2021 that the program was made available for students and faculty.

“The Telehealth program is about having an online consultation of their choice [faculty and students]. It could be through voice call, text message, private message, email, or through the use of video conferencing platforms,” explained Go.

During health consultation sessions, various medical conditions were given aid and advice in the comfort of the patient’s home.

“We cater appointments for the dental clinic or the clinical laboratory and some with conditions like chest pain, cough, pain during urination and among those complaints, they ask and make appointments through TeleHealth,” shared Go.

Among the students who availed the Program was Emy Rose Gallego, a fourth-year BS Political Science student.

“The telehealth service provided by the university was very beneficial to me during the height of the pandemic. I was treated without the fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus,” shared Gallego.

Among the challenges encountered in the conduct of the TeleHealth programs were poor internet connectivity and conflict of schedule.

“The internet connection is the number one problem. So sometimes, when video conferencing gets laggy, I opt to change to voice call instead,” shared Go.

Concluding from experience, Go shared that one should not be complacent of the common symptoms like a cough to self-diagnosis and as much as possible consult a health professional.

“The students and faculties should not be complacent of the common symptoms that they feel, as such may be more than just a cough or an allergic rhinitis to avoid the spread of the virus [COVID-19],” concluded Go.

The TeleHealth program aims to expand its reach to the Augustinian community through the creation of a website.