Firm eyes bigger share of Cebu’s digital radiology market

A MANILA-BASED health care provider specializing in digital radiology is growing its Cebu market with its partnership with the Cebu Provincial Government to improve the digital imaging services in province-run hospitals.

Armando Quintong, Mediarchives Philippines Inc. (Mapi)president they now have satellite offices in four provincial hospitals located in cities of Carcar, Danao and Bogo and Balamban town to make their services accessible to countryside residents.

He said that immediate access to digital imaging results help in the early detection of sickness among them.

“We are able to promote preventive medicine if we promote digital diagnosis in the barangays,” he said during the 888 forum on Tuesday.

Quintong said the technology that they use also cuts the production time of digital images from seven days to only one day.

Each of their satellite offices are now able to accommodate a total of 50 patients per day.

Quintong said they charge “reasonable rates” for their services that are approved by the Cebu Provincial Health Board.

On top of this, they also offer a one-year mentorship program to radiology graduates who are yet to take the board exams.

They are now partnering with five-Cebu based associate doctors who mentor radiology under boards for a period of one year. Under boards are issued a issued a certificate after they complete the mentorship program, he said.

Teleradiology solution

Mapi is a Philippine-based teleradiology solutions provider that offers an upgrade of radiology equipment, provide order management and after sales support to hospitals.

Established in 2008, the company serves the growing need to digitalize the radiology procedures in both government and private hospitals.

They have their main office in Muntinlupa City.

Quintong said his company also uses a Telerad Portal to transmit digital images to doctors located anywhere in the country.

Even patients are given online access to the outcome of their CT Scan, for example, if they would opt not to come back to the hospital anymore.

Quintong said they first came to Cebu after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit the province in 2013.

They won the contract for the digital processing of migrant refugees who were referred to the Department of Health (DOH) run Eversley Hospital in Mandaue City.

In 2016, they entered into contract with the Cebu provincial government to offer teleradiology services in the four provincial hospitals.

An IT personnel is assigned to assist radiology technicians coming from each of the four hospitals. They also have two roving technicians in case of need, he added.

Quintong said their technicians would upload X-ray and other results online to make these readily accessible to doctors and patients needing the said result.

“We plan to enlist more doctors online so we can promote teleradiology,” he said.