It was an amazing last Friday night (September 11, 2015) as the PhilCare company proudly introduced the new technology they have to make the life of their beloved members more fast and comprehensive services.
NFC, the
radio frequency technology considered by experts worldwide as “the next best
thing” in mobile transaction, continues its integration in the Philippines – this
time providing much needed upgrade in the way healthcare is delivered to
thousands of Filipinos.
This after
leading health care provider PhilCarecame up and put in operation NFC-capable
membership cards designed to make availment of health servicesfrom hospitals faster,
more efficient, and close to paperless.
PhilCare is
the first health care provider in the Philippines to adopt and actually put
into use cards with near field communication NFC technologies.
“We are
proud to introduce this new technology to the HMO industry. We’ve been looking
for the best technology to make medical services smoother and more convenient
for our clients and providers and NFC seems to be the perfect fit for this
goal,” said Noemi G. Azura, PhilCare’s President and CEO.
Basic
consultations and procedures will also be processed faster with just a single
tap, since it will no longer require long waiting times just to confirm
coverage. Thanks to this new innovation,
members only need to hand over their NFC-enabled health cards to any of the 200
service providers of PhilCare with NFC-capable phones from Samsung.
Making this
transaction possible is NFC, a form of wireless, radio-wave technology that
allows two objects – a reader device and a storage device – to send and receive
information via brief contact.
The NFC
technology is used by banks, retail, transport, and service providers worldwide
and has been deployed to accommodate wireless payments.
This new
technology is the first of its kind in the Philippine health care industry and
allows patient information to be updated in real-time, ensuring quick,
efficient, and accurate service.
“We are
very excited with this technology and in the future we hope to set up a rewards
program for members with the NFC cards,” Azura said.
“All these
innovations are geared towards providing best-in-class customer service to our
members. This is just the start of our foray into NFC technology, which will be
part of an ecosystem all intended to bring a new brand of bridging access to
health care for our members,” Azura added.
The launch
of its new membership cards is only one of the many innovations PhilCare has
set up to affirm its position as a pioneer in the health care industry.
In 2013,
PhilCare launched its mobile application GO! Mobile, becoming the first HMO
provider to bring the service to its members.
PhilCare’s
Go! Mobile app is designed as a quick reference guide for members on their
coverage and benefits while also giving access to complete lists of
PhilCare-affiliated hospitals, clinics, and doctors.
Just last
year, the mobile app introduced various updates in addition to being made
compatible with iOS devices alongside Android devices. With GO! Mobile,
PhilCare members no longer need to call any hotline for provider information
since it is made available right at their fingertips.
In addition
to its mobile app, PhilCare also recently launched its eCommerce website,
becoming the first HMO provider to offer online purchases for its health care
packages.
About PhilCare:
Established in 1982, PhilCare is one of the country’s pioneering Health
Maintenance Organization (HMO) companies. The company is built on a vision to
allow Filipinos enjoy a better quality of life by providing them access to
world-class health services. Three decades after it was founded, PhilCare
remains a pioneer and a recognized leader in Philippine HMO. Today, PhilCare
sets the pace for the industry not only with the reliable in-patient and out-patient
health care it provides, but also with the total wellness and healthy living it
actively promotes.
