Lining up for clinic services gets really tedious with all the waiting, processing, and requesting numerous letters before getting medical services. Health care provider PhilCare has partnered with Samsung Electronics Philippines Co. to create a faster and more efficient availment of healthcare services with the use of NFC-capable membership cards.
with PhilCare CEO & President, Noemi Azura
NFC is a radio frequency technology that allows a reader device and a storage device to send and receive information via brief contact. Close to paperless – PhilCare membership cards simply need to be tapped on Samsung devices to ensure the secure transfer of data. Hospitals and clinics can now determine coverage and benefits of a member, as well as other details of the member’s account via a single tap. NFC-powered PhilCare cards can be handed over to any of the 200 service providers of PhilCare and members can use it as long as they have an NFC-capable phone from Samsung.
“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,” says Noemi Azura, CEO and president of PhilCare.
Samsung smartphones have long been equipped with NFC technology which is widely used by banks, retail, transport, and service providers worldwide to accommodate wireless payments. The mobile device is equipped with security features from the hardware level, and can be further enhanced with Samsung’s propriety security platform to protect such transactions from being leaked or breached.
“R&D is at the heart of what we do, allowing us to continuously produce innovative products and offer progressive solutions for like-minded, forward looking institutions like PhilCare. Ultimately, it is our goal to enrich the lives of people,” says Chad Sotelo, Samsung Electronics Philippines Corporate Marketing head.
as well as other details of the member’s account via a single tap.
The partnership provides a much-needed upgrade in the way healthcare is delivered to thousands of Filipinos. The use of NFC for healthcare is the first of its kind in the Philippines and it 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.
The launch of its new membership card is one of the many innovations PhilCare has set up since 2013. Two years ago they launched the mobile application GO! Mobile, designed as a quick reference guide for members on their coverage and benefits while also giving access to a complete list 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. In addition to its mobile app, PhilCare also recently launched its e-commerce website, becoming the first HMO provider to offer online purchases for its health care packages.
