Health maintenance organization (HMO) pioneer PhilCare is looking at a community based service model as the next big thing in providing inclusive and more affordable healthcare to a greater number of Filipinos.
PhilCare CEO Jaeger Tanco made this prediction as the company opens a new standalone clinic in Bonifacio Global City.
Tanco said most major hospitals are located at the heart of urban areas, which make access increasingly challenging and time-consuming due to heavy traffic. He also noted that there is a shift in the attitude of most consumers when it comes to accessing services due to their digital lifestyle.
He said: “How our members see healthcare has evolved. Now, they want it to be quick and easy just as how you access things through your mobile phone. You will also observe that most products and services are already delivered right at your doorstep. Similarly, healthcare should be that accessible. It makes sense. You don’t want to travel far, just to get checked for fever or for cough.”
The new PhilCare Clinic in BCG is a prototype of the solution to this new demand for health services. Located at the 2nd floor of Mercury Drug Store in BGC, the PhilCare clinic will offer treatment modalities that PhilCare has observed to be the most in demand.
Currently, the clinic is only open to PhilCare members, but Tanco assures that steps are being taken to make their services open to the public.
The new clinic is the first of several planned for the coming months. PhilCare in May opened a QuickAssist center in Mary Mediatrix Medical Center in Lipa, Batangas and has plans to roll-out more QuickAssist centers and standalone clinics to make healthcare easily accessible to its members.
“This standalone clinic is only the beginning. With our services so close to a network like Mercury Drug’s, PhilCare is able to fulfill a bigger purpose in the health industry, and that is to make healthcare convenient and accessible not just to our members but to the rest of the public as well,” Tanco said.
PhilCare VP for Sales and Marketing Ian Cristobal said the move to open more is not an experiment, but an actual response to a growing demand from its members.
“Over the years, we have observed that the demand for community-based healthcare services is increasing among our members. Aside from urgent medical care for common illness such as flu, our members often look for physical therapy services,” said Cristobal
He added, “The problem lies in the fact that most physical therapy cases need courses of treatment that require multiple visits over time. The location of the clinic plays a crucial role in ensuring that our members get the healthcare they need in the easiest and fastest way.”
Tanco said for PhilCare, the direction is more than just making healthcare affordable, efficient, and accessible. “With this clinic expansion, we’re doing just that and more by bringing our smarter healthcare services closer to more Filipinos,” he said.
As with PhilCare’s pioneering health cards, and seamless digital access to core services through the ground breaking HeyPhil mobile app, the new PhilCare clinic in BGC is proof of PhilCare’s steadfast commitment to more accessible, inclusive, and smarter healthcare.
The PhilCare clinic in BGC is on the 2nd Floor of Mercury Drug Store, 32nd Street Bonifacio Global City Taguig. You can call 511-0755 for inquiries. For more information on PhilCare, and the services they provide, visit: https://philcare.com.ph/“‹
