2020 came in hard with a one-two punch of confusion and anxiety especially in terms of health. When a simple sneeze or cough could make your brain run a 100 miles a second thinking it might be the end, even going out for consultation feels like going on a battlefield with the threat of COVID-19 lurking in every corner.

Businesses closed down their doors. People were confined to their homes. And among the most heavily beaten up by COVID-19 are the medical front liners who continue to directly stand as a bulwark against this invisible (and seemingly invincible) foe.

How were they able to deal with this? Dr. Ana Lea Lava, a Medical Oncologist with six years of practice in several hospitals in Bulacan, shared her experience of dealing with this very predicament.

Dr. Lava admits that she and many of her colleagues were actively battling against the constricting grip of fear and anxiety since the early stages of the pandemic. She asserted that this was a fear for not only their own health but even more so for that of their patients.

As an oncologist, most of her patients were suffering from various stages and forms of cancer and have had regular schedules for chemotherapy. Their weakened bodies, resulting from the unforgiving disease and the harsh treatment, can turn the infectious yet treatable disease that is COVID-19 into a life-threatening condition.

She could not help but wear a sorrowful face as she recalled how she had to postpone the treatment sessions of her patients, many of whom have become her close friends, to safeguard them from infection. It was even more painful for her to see that when they were able to come back as quarantine restrictions loosened up, a significant number of them showed worse conditions and symptoms without the needed chemotherapy.

Despite the greater mobility afforded to Filipinos, many still remain hesitant to pay a visit to a hospital or even a private clinic due to the lingering danger of the infectious disease. Fortunately, the digital space provided an accessible alternative for the public, TeleMedicine.

During the interview, she describes TeleMed as “scheduled online consultation wherein a doctor can provide reliable diagnosis and advice based on a patient’s symptoms.” A 2021 survey by doctors observed that 89% of cancer care physicians utilize TeleMedicine for follow-up check-ups on an average of 30 patients per month.

Given the present circumstances, the rising popularity of this method has undoubtedly helped a considerable number of Filipinos with their health concerns. Tap. Tap. Send. You’re all set for a private meeting with a professional.

While this form of medical consultation is far safer and more accessible than the traditional method of physical check-ups, it should be recognized that there are still issues to be encountered. “Minsan hindi enough na marinig mo lang yung symptoms nila. Especially sa case ng mga bukol… kailangan talaga nahahawakan or napapakinggan yung breathing for accurate assessment.”

Being a doctor is a 24/7 job and with her six years of professional practice, Dr. Lava knows a lot about this. Ring! Ring! Ring! Even beyond the time of the TeleMed session, patients often make additional inquiries through calls and messages even in the middle of the night.

On top of the stress coming from their medical work, another problem arises with paying the bills in the new normal. Cashless transactions have come to the forefront but some Filipinos, especially senior citizens, still have problems navigating through online transactions.

Additionally, there is also a diversity in payment methods with the plethora of available online banking and e-wallet options in the market. At present, she and many of her colleagues try to address this by setting up at least one Online Banking account and one E-wallet account.

Working in medicine is already more than taxing enough and handling the logistics and record-keeping adds additional burden on practitioners. Is there a way to take this burden off their shoulders? GiyaPay is here to help!

During the discussion, she mentions that sometimes, patients can have anxieties about online security and their payment methods may not match the accounts she personally set up and this can cause issues in the payment process. Fortunately with GiyaPay, this is no longer a problem.

GiyaPay is a payment integrator that consolidates over 11 payment methods including BDO, Mastercard, and GCash into one merchant account. Payors can make payments with almost any bank account or e-wallet with one click. Businesses and service providers only need one merchant account to receive all payments.

The new normal comes with a new set of challenges and adjustments. For the health sector, Dr. Lava proposed that the biggest change is the possibility for a blended type of consultation that incorporates the traditional F2F check-ups and TeleMed consultations.

On a larger scale, cashless transactions have undoubtedly become an embedded practice for many Filipinos. With GiyaPay’s secure network and easy-to-understand UI, the payment journey has never been easier.

For more information on GiyaPay, you may send inquiries to reachus@giyapay.com or visit www.giyapay.com for more information.

References:

Cruz-Lim, E. M., Mendoza, M. J., Dumlao III, P., Lucero, J. A., Yap, B., & Garcia, C. V. (2021).
Physicians’ perceptions on the role of telemedicine in cancer care during and
post-COVID-19 Pandemic. Acta Medica Philippina, 55(2).
https://actamedicaphilippina.upm.edu.ph/index.php/acta/article/view/2836