BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 23  -- Caraganons living in rural and remote areas can now have better access to the government’s healthcare services and can even get advice from healthcare experts across the country. This is all thanks to the RxBox Telehealth Device, a life-saving health care technology that transforms the health information system of the country. 

Through the partnership initiated by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) together with the National Telehealth Center, UP Diliman College of Engineering, Advanced Science and Technology Institute, and the Department of Health (DOH), the RxBox aims to deploy the RxBox units in the remote areas across the country through a project called “Roll-out of 1000 RxBox Telehealth Device in Selected Rural Health Centers in the Philippines”. This initiative is one among DOST’s efforts for a “Smarter Philippines.” 

RxBox – “Real Life Experience in a Box”

The RxBox is a multi-component program that can capture real-time electronic health data from the patients. It contains an electronic tablet connected to the medical apparatuses like the Blood Pressure Monitor, Pulse Oximeter, Electrocardiogram (ECG), Maternal Tocometer, Fetal Doppler and Temperature Sensor. The tablet is programmed to collect electronic health data from the built-in medical sensors attached to the apparatuses. The simplified data immediately appears on the screen of the e-tablet once a patient is being examined through the apparatus, hence the real life experience. 

Modernizing the health information system

More than its capacity to gather electronic health data from the patients, the RxBox technology has also introduced a novelty on the health information gathering system in rural and remote areas through a paperless medical record system. Once a patient has been examined, the real-time health data automatically stores in the information database of every patient through the program’s electronic medical record system, the Community Health Information Tracking System or CHITS. 

Aside from providing a rich health information database, the system also allows the healthcare workers to instantly send the patient’s health information to health care specialists across the country when the need arises for any further expert advice.

The CHITS model pioneers in the advancement of health information system in areas that are hardly reached by nurses, medical doctors and other medical specialists. Through providing easy access to specialists, better patient care and reduction of costs will be achieved in the long run.

RxBox in Caraga

A total of 55 RxBox units are scheduled for deployment to 52 remote areas all over the region. Municipal Health Officers, Nurses, Midwife and IT Staff who works at the municipalities of these areas will be trained on the operations and management of the RxBox unit prior to its deployment. The areas prioritized will be given one RxBox unit, an additional central processing unit (CPU) and an internet router for the transmission of health data to healthcare experts.

Together with the Department of Health Caraga, the project has already conducted an orientation to the Provincial Health Officers. The RxBox team of Caraga gained a positive response and an all-out support from the local government units across the reigion. The Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Health continues to work hand-in-hand in its aspiration to promote a healthier Caraga.