75th Philippine Hospital Association Annual Convention

75^th Philippine Hospital Association Annual Convention
20-22 November 2024
Manila HotelManila Hotel

Leveraging disruptive technology solutions for better healthcare delivery

The Philippine healthcare system is no stranger to disruptions—the radical changes in an industry due to innovation.

From introducing medical tourism, to pushing for international quality accreditation in the sector, and positioning the Philippines as capable of taking care of an aging world by setting standards for geriatric care, Joyce Socao has been at the forefront of it all.

Known as a staunch advocate for the globalization of healthcare, Socao presented new disruptions in the Philippine healthcare system during the 75th annual national convention and exhibits of the Philippine Hospital Association at the Manila Hotel.

Socao is the managing director and CEO for the ASEAN region of Time Medical Systems, a manufacturer of cutting-edge magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems, as well as the CEO of its affiliate company DigiHealth Specialists, Inc., which specializes in disruptive healthcare technologies.

“Disruptive healthcare technologies refer to the introduction of transformative technologies or approaches that fundamentally alter traditional healthcare models,” she explained. “These innovations often improve accessibility, reduce costs, and enhance patient outcomes, changing established norms within the healthcare industry.”

Rooted in these values, DigiHealth Specialists was established in 2022 with the mission to fill in the gaps in the healthcare system, maximize resources, and find a way to create a fully integrated healthcare system.

By leveraging technology including artificial intelligence and remote patient monitoring, the company, including Time Medical Systems, aims to democratize healthcare, improve the accessibility of healthcare facilities, and mitigate the impact of the shortage in health workers.

Similar as to how healthcare was revolutionized when the public gained easier access to generic medicines through the Botika ng Bayan program in the early 2000s, Socao is confident that they can do the same with technology and devices.

Former Governor and PITC Chairman Obet Pagdanganan, who launched the Botika ng Bayan program, now serves as the Chairman of DigiHealth Specialists, Inc.

Filling the gaps

Socao said that stroke is the second leading cause of death from 2009 to 2019 and one of the leading causes of disability in the Philippines, citing data from the World Stroke Organization.

She added that in 2022, there were an estimated 20 million new cases of cancer and 9.7 million cancer-related deaths according to the World Health Organization. In the same year, there were also 2.3 million neonatal deaths.

These are the three main issues that Time Medical Systems aims to address with its MRIs that focus on the three Bs: brain, breast, and baby.

PICA, the company’s flagship product, is widely recognized as one of the most cost-effective, high-performance whole body MRI systems in the market most suitable for examining claustrophobic patients, children, elderly, and overweight patients with restricted mobility.

EMMA is a 1.5 Tesla whole body MRI machine that, aside from basic scans, also has a special optimal breast scanning feature that is a safe and effective examination for breast cancer diagnosis with a sensitivity of over 80%—compared to the 64% from a mammogram.

NEONA is the first superconductive neonatal MRI in the world approved and registered with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is compact and light and can be easily installed in the same area as the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, reducing the risk in transporting premature babies in the hospital.

“All our devices follow the mission of providing the three As of advanced, affordable, and accessible,” Socao said. “Next year we will need 176 more MRIs in the country according to the Department of Health. We joined this company that manufactures MRIs to bring down the cost in availing special features.”

One such special feature is the teleradiology system bundled with the MRIs. Socao explained that it uses AI to aid radiologists read reports or scans remotely. This will address the shortage of radiologists and imaging facilities specially in the rural areas.

Another innovation presented by Socao is the DigiHealth ATM or automated telehealth machine, which can do 60 clinical parameters similar to a full medical check-up in just five to seven minutes.

It features clinical grade and FDA-registered devices, is portable and compact, has an easy-to-use interface that can be operated even by non-medical personnel, has a built-in electronic health record system, data analytics, and more.

Integrated as well with the DigiHealth ATM is a handheld x-ray that can instantly generate a report for more than 15 lung diseases in just two minutes. It is also aided by AI that is vetted by a radiologist. The handheld x-ray can scan all parts of the body, even pets, is lightweight and does not require a leaded room.

“With this technology, we are hopeful that we can improve the delivery of services so that our population will be able to feel the services at the community level. Through the demonstrations, we have seen how fast and efficient the services are provided,” Socao said.

To summarize, she said, “Our objective is not to replace healthcare providers. Rather, we would like to work on the gaps and the missing pieces to connect all of you, all of us.”

The Philippine Hospital Association officers with special guest Asia Hospital Federation president Datu Kuljit Singh (7^th from left), PHA president Dr. Jose Santiago (5^th from right), Ms. Joyce Socao, CEO, Digihealth (4^th from right) and Roberto Pagdanganan, Chairman, Digihealth (3^rd from right) at the opening ceremony of PHA’s 75^th annual convention.

(center) Shri Harsh Kumar Jain, Ambassador of India to Philippines visits Time Medical System’s booth at the Philippine Hospital Association (PHA) 75th annual national convention. Seen in photo are Joyce Socao, Managing Director & CEO, Time Medical Philippines, Inc. and Roberto M. Pagdanganan, Chairman, Digihealth Specialists, Inc. with the team

The Digihealth Automated Telehealth Machine which can test 60 clinical parameters in just few minutes was one of the disruptive technologies showcased at the PHA convention