Transforming Public Healthcare Access in Panama

WHERE: Panama

WHAT: Working with the Caja Del Seguro Social (Social Security) agency in Panama to create a fully digitized medical radiology platform that simplifies and speeds information sharing with medical practitioners. Cable Onda launched the project in 2014 and Tigo continues to implement it.

HOW: Physicians and other practitioners can access digitized x-rays and medical records on mobile devices while attending to patients who might otherwise have to travel further from their homes to be seen at a larger medical facility. Tigo manages the platform and provides maintenance services for all the biomedical and technological components of the initiative.

RESULTS:

• 5.1 million patients observed since 2014
• Replacement of analog equipment with 185 digital radiology units
• More than 90 new remote digital stations across the country help radiologists serve patients more efficiently
• 700 doctors and technicians trained on the new platform
• Reduced time patients had to wait for laboratory results from 45-60 days to seven days or less
• Images and diagnostic notes integrated into the patient’s digital file, reducing errors and costs associated with transferring and storing medical records