ABSTRACT
The University of the Philippines Manila National Telemedicine Center was established in 1998 to investigate the use of information and communications technology to improve health care delivery for all Filipinos. The Center is based at the Philippine General Hospital. It manages referrals from more than 40 doctors in remote areas around the country, connecting them to more than 600 experts at the Philippine General Hospital. The process of understanding local cultures and processes, respecting the local experts, and analyzing their thought processes can often be frustrating. One reason for the success of the teaching model was the familiarity of the audience with the lecture format. The challenges that plague the Philippine system are the continuing loss of health professionals from internal and external migration. The faster the trust relationships between the remote doctors and physicians are established, the quicker telemedicine services can take hold in the relevant communities.
