CNU launches Konsulta sa Barangay initiative

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu Normal University is set to become the first university in the Philippines to be accredited as a 'Konsulta' provider under PhilHealth's program, aiming to expand healthcare services.

In collaboration with CareSpan Asia Inc., CNU launched the government's Konsulta sa Barangay initiative on September 28, offering free medical services and medicines to 100,000 beneficiaries annually.

This initiative marks the first Public-Private-Academe Partnership in the Philippines, involving CNU, CareSpan Asia Inc., and PhilHealth.

With CareSpan Asia Inc.'s support, CNU's school clinic will be upgraded to provide integrated outpatient care, including primary, chronic, urgent, ambulatory, and specialty services.

Throughout October, CNU and CareSpan Asia Inc. will work on their accreditation. Once accredited, CareSpan Asia Inc. will cover the expansion costs and procure necessary equipment, while CNU will manage patient registration.

Danilo Sebastian L. Reyes, CEO of CareSpan Asia Inc., mentioned that they are currently assessing the budget required for the clinic's expansion and equipment acquisition based on PhilHealth's accreditation requirements.

“Maganda nga mayroon na sila ditong College of Medicine and a College of Nursing so pati yon baka pwede ring magamit ngayon sa purposes of personnel…That’s why we are very excited about it, meron ng availability of space, the clinic together with the personnel,” said Reyes.

With the university's launching of its pilot Konsulta program in November, it will also provide free primary care to students, faculty, school personnel, and other CNU community members.

The pilot will serve 40,000 individuals from Cebu City, and 10,000 each from its external campuses in Balamban and Medellin. Additional campuses in Alegria, Argao, Catmon, and Poro, Camotes Island, will also have 10,000 beneficiaries each.

Fifteen doctors from the CNU-Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center College of Medicine will deliver primary care services, including medical consultations.

CareSpan Asia Inc., CNU’s private partner, will establish a seamless patient service network through a mobile app featuring Electronic Health Records (EHR), interactive Teleconsultation or Virtual Consultation (VC), and Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM). This digital health platform is one of the four approved health systems under the Universal Health Care (UHC) law.

The mobile app will also offer telemedicine, e-pharmacy, AI analytics for imaging, audiometry, hearing aids, spirometry, home care, and community care services. PhilHealth's Konsultasyong Sulit Tama (Konsulta) program, mandated by the Universal Health Care Law, provides comprehensive outpatient benefits, including free primary care check-ups and maintenance medications for conditions like asthma, diabetes, and hypertension.

The budget per patient for Konsulta has increased from P500 to P1,700. All Filipinos are encouraged to register with their nearest and most convenient Konsulta provider. — (FREEMAN)