Community health centers long relied on handwritten charts and logbooks, a system that slowed patient care and strained already cramped facilities. To address this, SM Foundation is modernizing rural clinics through DigiKonsulta, a key component of its Wellness Center Program, shifting them from paper-based operations to digital healthcare.

DigiKonsulta supports digital record-keeping, teleconsultation, and compliance with government accreditation and licensing, allowing even small or remote clinics to meet modern standards.

At the Krus na Ligas Health Center — one of the first sites — upgraded consultation rooms, improved patient flow, organized pharmacy areas, and digital records have replaced the old paper trail. Center physician Dr. James Demetria said efficiency has significantly improved.

“We have entered the digital age where fast access, seamless collaboration, and secure data are expected. Under the old manual system, searching through records consumed too much time that could have been used to provide more services,” he said.

With digital systems now in place, patient histories and treatment records can be accessed in seconds.

“We can now pull up patient records much faster and documentation is better. A huge amount of time previously spent on paperwork has been eliminated,” he added.

Teleconsultation has also helped patients who cannot visit clinics during emergencies or severe weather.

Fifteen other facilities under the SM Foundation’s Wellness Center Program have now adopted DigiKonsulta, including those in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. In South Cotabato, the Baluan Rural Health Unit and Polomolok East Community Clinic now offer expanded services supported by telemedicine and electronic medical records.

According to Dr. Demetria, the digital shift has allowed health workers to focus more on patients rather than administrative work.

“With DigiKonsulta, the administrative burden has decreased, so we can focus on our real purpose — caring for and educating our patients. We also feel more confident knowing the data is accurate and updated,” he said.