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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Metro Manila devider Makati is first LGU with integrated 24/7 digital healthcare system - Mayor Abby

Makati is first LGU with integrated 24/7 digital healthcare system - Mayor Abby

Published Jun 19, 2025 01:02 pm

At A Glance

  • The complete digital integration allows patients to schedule appointments through VQMS, receive teleconsultations via KonsultaMD, access diagnostics at Makati Life, and have all medical records, laboratory results, and health information seamlessly connected through HIMS across every facility. Electronic medical records synchronize across all platforms, ensuring complete continuity of care.
Mayor Abby Binay (center) inspects the medical machines and equipment of the Makati Life Medical Center during its launch in April.
Mayor Abby Binay (center) inspects the medical machines and equipment of the Makati Life Medical Center during its launch in April.
Makati City is now the country's very first local government unit (LGU) with an integrated digital healthcare system that will provide round-the-clock medical access and diagnostics, Makati City Mayor Abby Binay said on Thursday, June 19.
In a statement, Binay said the comprehensive digital system, supported by over P16 billion in actual healthcare expenditures from 2017 to May 31, 2025, includes the Virtual Queuing Management System (VQMS), KonsultaMD telehealth platform, Makati Life Medical Center, and the Health Information Management System (HIMS).
The system seamlessly connects electronic medical records across all laboratories and facilities.
The system required a P3.47-billion investment in digital infrastructure and services across the city's healthcare network, demonstrating the city government's commitment to excellent medical technology and systems integration.
”We didn’t just digitize healthcare. We've changed how an entire city experiences medical care. From booking appointments online at any time to cancer detection powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), from house-to-house medicine delivery to video consultations with specialists, Makati proves technology can enhance, not replace, compassionate care,” Binay said, adding that these digital innovations are not just about convenience, but also ensuring inclusivity, transparency, and building trust with Makatizens.
“But what makes Makati's healthcare truly extraordinary isn't just the technology but the promise that everything is taken care of, everything is within reach, and everything is free,” she noted.
Connected for everyone
The Virtual Queuing Management System, launched in 2021 and a winner of the Galing Pook Award 2023, has transformed patient experience across all city health facilities with a total investment of P19.39 million.
Residents book appointments online through makatihealthappointment.ph, eliminating the need to queue in the early hours of the morning just to get a slot. The system operates 24/7 with real-time updates on wait times.
”At the heart of this healthcare network is Makati's Yellow Card program, which provides access to all health services for the city's cardholders and their dependents. The program connects VQMS appointments, KonsultaMD consultations, Makati Life diagnostics, and the Libreng Gamot program through an integrated network of outsourced pharmacy branches citywide,” Binay explained.
”From appointments to consultations, diagnostics to medications, free vaccinations, unlimited dialysis and chemotherapy treatments, and full hospitalization at Ospital ng Makati or Makati Life when needed, all vital services are enjoyed free by Makatizens,” she added.
Through a partnership launched in May 2023, KonsultaMD provides 24/7 video and voice consultations for all city employees and Yellow Card holders.
The first Metro Manila LGU partnership of its kind offers unlimited consultations, e-prescriptions, e-laboratory requests, e-medical certificates, and mental health support.
Meanwhile, the Makati Life Medical Center opened its outpatient department on May 8, 2023, with full hospital operations on April 24, 2025 as the country's largest public-private partnership hospital.
The facility, equipped with P2.64 billion worth of digital diagnostic equipment, houses the Philippines' first AI-powered uMI 550 Digital PET/CT scanner, capable of detecting cancer in just 8 minutes, plus digital mammography and endoscopy equipment, among many others.
The complete digital integration allows patients to schedule appointments through VQMS, receive teleconsultations via KonsultaMD, access diagnostics at Makati Life, and have all medical records, laboratory results, and health information seamlessly connected through HIMS across every facility. Electronic medical records synchronize across all platforms, ensuring complete continuity of care.
Despite it embracing technology in its healthcare services, the city government assured the public that digital innovation hasn't replaced human care.
The initiative includes house-to-house medicine delivery for seniors aged 70 and above, plus house-to-house vaccinations, ensuring human attention remains central despite advanced digital tools.
We've created something new. A city where medical care is truly universal, accessible, and excellent. From maternal care and infant health to children's wellness, adult medicine, senior care, and even hospice services, we've built a complete circle of care that covers every stage of life. Best of all, it is completely free, the mayor said.

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