Telemedicine Takes a Leap Forward: One Number Revolutionizes Access to Medical Care

With this implementation, the previous telephone lines have been disabled, centralizing all scheduling to the new number 142.

Asunción, IP Agency.- The Adult Outpatient Unit of the Hospital de Clínicas, dependent on the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the National University of Asunción (UNA), has enabled a new exclusive telephone line for scheduling consultations in various medical specialties. From now on, patients will be able to dial the number 142 to make their appointments, facilitating access to medical care.

Dr. Nelson Martínez, head of the Ambulatory Unit, explained that this line is available for users of the Copaco, Claro and Personal telephone companies, who can dial 142 directly. In the case of Tigo and Vox users, they must add the prefix 021 before the number, that is, dial 021 142. The opening hours to request appointments are Monday to Friday, from 07:00 to 17:00.

The medical specialties that can be scheduled through this service include Medical Clinic, Traumatology, General Surgery, Coloproctology, Vascular Surgery and Phlebology, Thoracic Surgery, Oncological Surgery, Psychology, Podiatry, Nutrition, Allergy, Urology, and Head and Neck Surgery . In addition, it is expected that in the coming weeks other specialties will be added until 100% of the services are covered.

«We have been using this organization of appointments, via telephone, for quite some time and it facilitates access to appointments, with waits that do not exceed more than 30 days. Furthermore, this prevents them from coming early in the morning to form long lines, since they come directly on the day and time of the consultation to be seen,” commented Dr. Martínez.

The new line has an automatic tracking system that allows shifts to be assigned in the shortest time possible, significantly improving waiting times. In addition, the health professional highlighted that this method has simplified access to consultations, especially in a context of high demand such as that faced by the country’s health system.

With this implementation, the previous telephone lines have been disabled, centralizing all scheduling in the new number 142. This initiative seeks to continue improving care for patients who arrive from different parts of the country in search of medical services at the Hospital de Clínicas.