In various ways, the COVID‐19 pandemic has turned the once underrated practice of telehealth into a widely explored alternative mode of practice. It is riding on the wave of the new normal in healthcare service delivery. Both the Department of Health (DOH) and the private sector have scrambled to utilize telehealth to provide consults and information to a nation hit hard by anxiety and uncertainty. One of the early users was the Lung Center of the Philippines COVID‐19 Task Force. Through a social media platform, the Lung Center held teleconsultations and provided answers to COVID‐19 related questions.38 Nonato, V., Crisostomo, S., & Calica, A. (2020, March 31). The Doctor Is Online: Physicians Offer Free Services to Decongest Hospitals. One News. Retrieved July 27, 2020, from https://www.onenews.ph/the‐doctor‐is‐online‐physicians‐offer‐free‐services‐to‐decongest‐hospitals
, 39 Perez, R. (2020, April 7). DOH COVID‐19 Hotline Now Provides Free Telemedicine Consultations. Smart Parenting. Retrieved July 27, 2020, from https://www.smartparenting.com.ph/life/news/doh‐covid‐19‐hotline‐telemedicine‐a00041‐20200407
The Philippine General Hospital established the "Bayanihan na" call center where consults were made through a hotline.40 Dela Cruz, R.C. (2020, March 31). PGH Launches Covid‐19 Hotline for Consultations, Donations. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved May 20, 2020, from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1098332
, 41 Romualdo, A.VCD.P. (2020, March 31). Bayanihan Na! UP‐PGH Launches COVID‐19 Ops Center. University of the Philippines Manila News. Retrieved May 20, 2020, from https://www.up.edu.ph/bayanihan‐na‐up‐pgh‐launches‐covid‐19‐ops‐center/
The DOH, having no telehealth platform of its own, has collaborated with private providers to establish the DOH (Telehealth) hotline.42 Anonymous. (2020, April 7). DOH Boost Telemedicine Services for NCR Service to Expand to Other Regions Soon. Press Release. Department of Health. Retrieved May 16, 2020, from https://www.doh.gov.ph/doh‐press‐release/DOH‐BOOST‐TELEMEDICINE‐SERVICES‐FOR‐NCR‐SERVICE‐TO‐EXPAND‐TO‐OTHER‐REGIONS‐SOON
, 43 CNN Philippines Staff. (2020, April 27). DOH Launches Telemedicine Consultation for Metro Manila Residents. CNN Philippines. Retrieved April 27, 2020, from https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/4/7/Telemedicine‐consultation‐COVID.html https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1047575
Whereas only a few physicians practiced telehealth in the country at the beginning of the year, the COVID‐19 pandemic has certainly accelerated the acceptance of telehealth as a means to improve healthcare. Aside from providing healthcare access to remote patients, the practice of telehealth has served to limit physical contact in order to reduce the risk of contracting COVID‐19. Physicians who previously disliked the use of technology and preferred face to face consultations are now forced to “see” patients remotely. The tide has started to turn and this appears to have happened also in other countries.44 Galewitz, P. (2020, March 27). Telemedicine Surges, Fueled by Coronavirus Fears and Shift in Payment Rules. Kaiser Health News. Retrieved May 17, 2020, from https://khn.org/news/telemedicine‐surges‐fueled‐by‐coronavirus‐fears‐and‐shift‐in‐payment‐rules/
Multiple studies have shown how telemedicine has enhanced health service delivery.45 Williams, O.E., et al. (2017). The Use of Telemedicine to Enhance Secondary Care: Some Lessons from the Front Line. Future Healthcare Journal. 4(2), 109–114. Retrieved May 20, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6502630/
, 46 Bryant, B. (2018, December 11). Telemedicine Improves Healthcare through Innovative Service Delivery. National Association of Counties (NACO). Retrieved May 20, 2020, from https://www.naco.org/articles/telemedicine‐improves‐healthcare‐through‐innovative‐service‐delivery
, 47 Siddiquee, N.K.A., et al. (2019). Telemedicine in Resource‐Limited Setting: Narrative Synthesis of Evidence in Nepalese Context. Smart Homecare Technology and TeleHealth. Retrieved May 21, 2020, from https://www.dovepress.com/telemedicine‐in‐resource‐limited‐setting‐narrative‐synthesis‐of‐eviden‐peer‐reviewed‐fulltext‐article‐SHTT.