Students and doctors from the UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery are offering free online medical consultations to the public through the UST Community Medicine page.
Telemedicine Service consultations are available every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., except holidays.
Consultations are strictly by appointment through the UST Community Medicine Facebook page.
The schedule of the consultations is as follows:
- Internal Medicine/Family Medicine – 8 a.m. – 9 a.m.
- Pediatrics/Surgery/OB-GYN – 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
- ENT/Ophthalmology/Dermatology – 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
- Neurology/Psychiatry/Rehabilitation Medicine – 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Dr. Ma. Teresa Tricia Bautista, community development coordinator and head of the Department of Preventive, Family and Community Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, is the head of the telemedicine program.
“[The UST Community Medicine] has improved access to healthcare and continuity of care [especially] for the elderly, vulnerable and home-bound,” Bautista told the Varsitarian.
Bautista added that the program also serves as a training ground for medical students.
“Senior medical students perform the history and virtual physical examination with the guidance of the consultants. They are managed by consultants. Students learn from the patient encounter,” Bautista said.
The disruption of health services in UST’s partner community in Navotas led to the opening of the telemedicine program in January 2021.
“We had a meeting with health center physicians in Navotas; since their clinic services had been limited, it was deemed timely and relevant in the midst of the pandemic,” Bautista said.
Bautista said the telemedicine program would continue to operate beyond the Covid-19 pandemic.
