Seniors Break New Ground with Health Informatics Seminar

By Charlene L. Tabora

With the theme, Putting Health in the Hands of the People, the seniors had their first seminar last August 11, 2010 at the Medicine Auditorium.

The distinguished guests were from the National Telehealth Center (NTC), led by Dr. Alvin B. Marcelo (NTC Director). Amongst the speakers for the event were Dr. Paul Nimrod B. Firaza (Project Manager, Electronic Tuberculosis Diagnostic Committee), Dr. Alex I. Gavino (Coordinator for Telehealth Services), Mr. Randy Joseph G. Fernandez (Consultant, Electronic Health Records; Developer, Triage System), Mr. Wayne Dell L. Manuel (Consultant, Public Health Informatics and Geographic Information System for Health), Mr. Arturo M. Ongkeko Jr., RN (Telehealth Nurse, Coordinator for Knowledge Management), Mr. Noel A. Bañez, RN (Coordinator for Primary Health Care Informatics, and Community Information Tracking System or CHITS), Mr. Jonathan D. Galingan, MD (OpenMRS Trainer and Implementer) and UST-CON alumnus Mr. Isidor F. Cardenas, RN (National Capital Region Project Coordinator, Telehealth Nurse).

The talks focused on the latest trends in Telehealth and Health Informatics which included an online charting system, information tracking system and other programs developed to facilitate nursing tasks in areas such as Community Health and Hospital Nursing.

“The technology presented will be very helpful to us as future nurses regardless of what branch of Nursing we may choose to pursue in the future,” Kevin Mikhael B. Merquita (IV-7), the chairman of the organizing committee said.

The seminar was the first one to be organized by the seniors for the academic year. Level IV class presidents, together with their Related Learning Experience (RLE) groupmates and the Nursing Leadership and Management team, collaborated in organizing and conducting the event.

“Despite concerns which arouse before everything was finalized, we were still able to push through and provide a seminar about Telehealth that would open a new branch of Nursing to students who are also skilled in computers,” said Lorraine Leyden O. Sy (IV-9), co-chairman of the organizing committee.

Coordinator for Nursing Management, Mrs. Eden I. Beltran, R.N., M.A.N., concluded, “It was indeed a very educational seminar since they did it as a group. Akala nga ng mga speakers hindi mga estudyante ang bibigyan nila ng seminar. Naka-civilian at naka-corporate attire kasi kayo.” She adds, “[Telehealth Nursing] is a good option to consider, [now that] we have utilized our referent power.”