[Press Release] GetMed: Revolutionizing HealthCare in the Philippines

We have all experienced the difficulties of finding a doctor and quickly get an appointment. More importantly, on emergency situations, we might not even have an idea where the nearest hospital is or which doctor to call.

For Arthur John Abarquez, one of the founders of UNA I.T. SOLUTIONS, it was on a Maundy Thursday a few years ago when his wife suffered a serious fall, which resulted to shattered bones in her left forearm and hand that compelled him to recognize this need. “We rushed my wife to the hospital but the ER Doctors couldn’t do anything to relieve her pain. They needed a specialist who, at that time, since it was a holiday, was not available. It took them several hours to locate a doctor who had to travel from Calatagan, Batangas to Manila. It was grueling hours of waiting for my wife and myself. I wanted so much to help her but I was helpless, we were at the mercy of the capabilities and the reaction time of the hospital where we brought her,” he shared.

“Had a medical directory, at the very least, been available then, it would have helped us locate the nearest available doctor, not necessarily from the hospital we brought her to but still within immediate reach,” Arthur added.

UNA I.T. SOLUTIONS, the company behind the Health Lifestyle app called GetMed, envisions the product to revolutionize healthcare in the Philippines. The company was built in collaboration with some of the country’s profile experts in pharma, information technology, and consumer marketing - all coming together for one direction – to develop a product that would give everybody an upperhand in managing their healthcare, emergency or otherwise.

GetMed simplifies patient experience in just one touch of a button. Just as how we use online tools to book a restaurant or request for a cab service, patients will certainly demand the same experience in self-booking a doctor’s appointment.

“You would not even want to entertain the idea of waiting,” says Paolo Castaño, a reputable pharma and marketing expert, “so GetMed capitalizes on convenience. With the app, you can conveniently book appointments with MDs, find out nearest hospitals or clinics. The app can immediately give you a directory of doctors grouped geographically and according to specialization.” It is also linked to Waze so you get to manage traffic as you proceed with your respective appointments.

Unlike the many medical apps which are limited to information base, GetMed is highly interactive. “The app is not just an information base, but engages the doctors, patients, and helps build a better lifestyle on day-to-day basis,” shares Chris Hatton, an I.T. expert who had professional stints with a leading global software company in Europe & the Middle East and specialized in Government contracts

A free download, GetMed Version 1 is available in Android and IOS version. Initially, Version 1 has over 17,000 registered doctors on the database, covering the majority of the country. It also has over 3,000 Hospitals, Clinics & Barangay Health Centres located in Luzon, Visayas & Mindanao. All listings for both doctors and hospitals are 95% accurate.

“A lot of things are coming for the app,” says Chris, “but we do not want to rush things. Importance of the app right now, with Version 1, is the simplicity and usefulness. We just want to make sure we are doing it the correct manner.”

GetMed is aimed at making the Philippines a major player in the app-business, a product that is made in the Philippines that will make us proud. Its mission is to bring healthcare at the touch of a button, manage your healthcare more efficiently, conveniently and more precise.

From L-R- Arthur John Abarquez, Paolo Castaño and Chris Hatton

“We believe in the project. And Philippines is the right place to launch this kind of product and that’s important. We have such great faith in the Philippines. Great technology skills. We’re very Filipino. We have Filipino staff. We use Filipino developers. We are proud that this is a Filipino-made product. It’s the first time that we are consolidating the data of doctors and patients into one big picture. We’re bringing quality life.”

The Whys of Whining

"Moooooooooooom!" 

It's irritating, it's frustrating and it gets on your last nerve. Though it's obnoxious and unacceptable, it's actually an effective for your child to get your attention. It's whining. But, like other bad habits, you can nip it in the bud early with a few simple strategies to teach your child there are other appropriate, effective forms of communicating with you. 

First, try limiting the situations that trigger it. Avoid extra errands when the kids are hungry.  Don't let them get involved in a frustrating game or project prior to bedtime. Pay attention when your child is talking, as sometimes whining is a reaction when a child feels you aren't giving them your full attention. Praise them for not whining and talking in a normal and understandable voice that allows you to fully understand what they are saying to you. 

When the whining begins, don't overreact. Keep your response simple, calm and neutral.  Ask your child to repeat the request in a normal tone. When giving in seems inevitable, don't delay. If you must finish the grocery shopping so you can put dinner on the table, for instance, and your child starts whining for a snack, offer something healthy right away. 

Once a limit has been set, parents should follow through. It's imperative that both parents are on board with this limit and fully follow through when the whining rule has been violated. 

If you have an older child that's developing a whining habit, suggest they come up with a solution to their perceived boredom or other voiced problem.  If you suggest possible alternatives, it might just prolong the child's whining. 

Sometimes whining can be the result of trauma and trouble in their life. A divorce, serious family illness or problems at school may be at the root.  Additional positive attention and quality one-on-one time may be just the medicine your child needs at a time like this. Your pediatrician can also suggest alternatives to curb whining should the positive attention and disciplinary actions be ineffective. 

Training the Fussy Eater

Toddlers can be fussy eaters who refuses to try a new food at least half of the time. Approximately half of all toddlers fit this description, so it is no wonder that food issues are a source of stress for parents. 

Establishing healthy eating patterns is important to avoid problems such as obesity and eating disorders later in life. Various strategies can help your child accept a wider range of foods.  It may be necessary to offer a food to your child as many as 10 different times before they choose to eat it.  The problem is, many parents get frustrated and give up before the fourth or fifth try. 

Try to make foods fun.  Colorful foods like carrot sticks, raisins, apples, grapes, cheese sticks and crackers can all be fun and healthy choices for your growing toddler.  Explain to them that eating good food is important so they'll grow big and strong, and how it will help them run faster and play longer. 

Children learn behaviors from their parents. If you restrict yourself to a narrow range of foods, your child will take notice and mimic your caution. Don't limit your child's food variety to only those foods you prefer. It may be that your child's tastes are different to yours, and perhaps you are simply serving them foods they don't happen to like.  Try to set a good example and try a variety of foods in front of your child.  It could motivate them to do the same. 

If your child seems healthy and energetic, then they are eating enough. If you are still concerned, keep an eye on how much food they actually eat over the day. Children tend to graze constantly, rather than restrict their eating to three meals per day like adults. You may be surprised how those little handfuls and snacks add up. For further reassurance, check your child's growth and weight charts, or check with your child's pediatrician. 

Try not to worry, and remember, that unless a child is ill, they will eat.   Children are very good at judging their hunger and fullness signals. Try to stay relaxed about mealtime and offer your child a wide variety of foods, and most importantly, remember to set a good example by trying a wide variety of foods yourself.  You may discover you and your toddler share a new found favorite food! 

Do As I Say and As I Do

Children learn to imitate at a very young age.  It's how they learn to behave, care for themselves, develop new skills, and communicate with others. From their earliest moments they watch you closely and pattern their own behavior and beliefs after yours. Your examples become permanent images, which will shape their attitudes and actions for the rest of their life. 

It's important to be responsible, consistent and loving with your child.  This also holds true for the relationship you have with your spouse, your parents, and other family members and friends that are also a part of your child's life.  Own up to mistakes when you make them, and communicate open and honestly with all family members.  

It's also important to take good care of yourself.  When we're focusing on what's best for our child it's easy to neglect our own needs.  Your child and your family are counting on you physically and emotionally, so it's imperative that you teach your child by example that taking care of yourself helps you to take care of them and the rest of your family.  This shows your child that not only do you love them and the rest of the family, but you love yourself as well.  This is an important step in teaching your child about self esteem.  This may involve getting a sitter and treating yourself out to dinner and a movie, or doing another favorite activity on your own.  This teaches your child that you are not only their parent, but your own person with your interests and needs, and also gives them a chance to show you how well they can do without you with them for a while. 

It's also important to nurture your relationship with your spouse.  Let your child see you communicate in a positive and healthy manner with one another, and show love and affection for one another so your child can begin to learn early on what a healthy marriage should be like.  

You'll soon see your child patterning many of his behaviors after your own.  So make sure that what you say and do around your child will help build a strong sense of security and self esteem. 

Music for a New Years Party

If you are planning a New Years  party, one of the most important elements of the party planning is the music you plan to play at the party. Making preparations for the food, beverages, entertainment, decorations, favors and other elements of the party are all very important but the music at the party are critical to the success of the party and can help to determine whether or not the guests have a good time. This article will discuss some of the options for music at a New Years  party and will provide information on implementing these options. 

Hiring a band is one very popular option for providing music for a New Years  party. However, there are some considerations which should be mulled over before deciding to hire a band. One of these important considerations is the amount of space required for the band to set up and perform. This is important especially if you are hosting the party in your home. Before signing a contract with a band, you should have a representative from the band visit the space and determine if there is enough room available. The noise ordinances should also be considered when hiring a band for a New Years party. Again this is most important if you are hosting the party in your home. When hiring a band you should also consider whether or not the band will appeal to the majority of the guests at your New Years party. This is especially important if you will have guests from a number of different generations at your party. 

Another option for proving music at your New Years  party is to hire a DJ to perform at the party. This is a good idea because DJs typically play a wide variety of music and are skilled at reading the audience and determining which types of music will appeal to the audience. They are also typically good at encouraging audience participation. Again, it is important to consider noise ordinances when hiring a DJ to entertain at your New Years party. Your DJ will likely be aware of these ordinances particularly if he works in the area often but you should still discuss this with the DJ before signing a contract to ensure he will comply with these regulations.

One inexpensive option for providing music for your guests at your New Years  party is to be your own DJ. If you have an extensive CD collection, you can insert a number of these into a disk changer and set the changer to play randomly. Changing the CDs throughout the night will keep the music fresh throughout the party. Another idea is to ask each guest to bring five of their own CDs to the party. Each guest can then take turns playing DJ for a half hour to an hour. This is a fun way to provide music for your guests and also helps to ensure each guest will hear some music they enjoy during the party. Still another option for providing your own music during your New Years party is to set up a satellite radio system and attach it to speakers. You can set the satellite to a station featuring upbeat dance music or music which accompanies the theme of the New Years party. 

Still another inexpensive option for providing musical entertainment for your New Years party is to rent a karaoke machine and encourage the guests to provide their own entertainment. Karaoke can be a great deal of fun especially for a group of guests who are willing to participate in the fun. If you have a theme for the New Years  party, you can provide songs for the karaoke machine which relate to the theme. If there is not a specific theme for the New Years  party, you can select a selection of songs which are likely to be popular with your guests.