They seek to offer remote services through this tool to prevent people from attending the medical center to avoid possible contagion.
Following the health emergency by COVID-19, hospitals around the world have decided to look for these kinds of innovations to reduce people's transfers and especially crowds in medical centers.
In Paraguay, the Hospital Escuela de Clínicas, belonging to the National University of Asunción (UNA), now provides telemedicine services in the specialty of otolaryngology. Online inquiries are conducted through Medicasa a mobile app, available on PlayStore and AppStore for free. So far, they have given medical attention to more than 150 patients.
The app has two versions, one for patients and one for healthcare professionals. To schedule an in-app consultation, the patient must choose the medical specialty and the professional who will care for it, then choose the date and time depending on the availability of the professional.
Medicasa also contains the option to attach laboratory results for the correct interpretation of a specialist doctor. In addition, doctors can issue electronic prescriptions, so patients can get their antibiotics in pharmacy.
On the other hand, the Hospital Clínicas reported that from May to the end of June more than 500 patients were treated, in several specialties such as endocrinology, nutrition, gastroenterology and neurology, the latter being the one that has provided the most services.
The hospital enabled telephone lines for teleconsultations, as well as a virtual psychiatric platform, in which more than 400 patients have been attended in various services such as telepsychiatry and telepsychology.
This is how through various digital platforms and telehealth methods UNA’s Hospital Clínicas has provided services of different medical specialties to the population during the health emergency.
