The Medical City South Luzon hospital used Proto's AI technology to streamline patient appointment bookings and overcome language barriers in a competitive expat healthcare market.
How did this regional hospital in South Luzon set a new standard for patient experience in the Philippines? The answer lies in combining an established patient-centred approach to care with localised AI technology.
The hospital serves a diverse patient base across their growing 100-bed facility. Located in Santa Rosa, Laguna, the hospital operates in a community with a significant presence of foreign nationals, including Japanese, Chinese, and Korean speakers. The area is home to several major healthcare providers targeting the expat segment.
Despite the competition, the Medical City South Luzon managed to stand out as a top-tier healthcare provider with its CEO, Dr. Cesar Ramon G. Espiritu, being awarded Hospital CEO of the Year by Hospital Management Asia. Powering this standard of excellence is a tech-based approach to treating multinational patients as valued customers — with service provided in native languages.
Personalised, instant appointment booking
One of the major challenges in multilingual healthcare is the administrative burden of booking consultations and diagnostic tests. Patient intake bottlenecks result in high wait times and lost revenue.
The hospital developed an AI-based chatbot named SOL and an appointment booking solution on Proto’s AICX Platform. At the outset of SOL’s deployment across Facebook Messenger, Webchat, and Viber, 47% of patient queries were fully-automated. Critically, integration into the doctor scheduling system relieved staff from being overwhelmed with emails and phone calls, and provided an instant next step for patients seeking care.
Most importantly for the expat community in the provinces of Laguna, Batangas, and Cavite, SOL speaks Tagalog, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean — a unique differentiator in this multicultural community. Wouldn’t you prefer discussing health matters in your own language?
Navigating the future of culturally sensitive care
This unique hospital in South Luzon is continuing to lead the Philippines healthcare sector with its patient experience roadmap.
This includes integration directly into HMOs for generating letters of approval for insured patients, which is typically the longest source of delays between patient concern and the provision of care. Expats dealing with a surprise health issue will deeply appreciate this rapid approval capability without the need to return to their home countries.
Additionally, Proto’s roadmap for hospitals includes booking reminders and onsite QR codes that will help far-flung patients find their appointments with turn-by-turn directions inside chatbots.
This indoor navigation integration with Proto’s wayfinding partner is anticipated to reduce an approximated 40% of appointment delays due to confusing hospital floor plans.
While this hospital may be smaller in the grand proportions of Southeast Asia and the Medical City group, it’s enlightened approach to cross-cultural patient experience is inspiring and will continue to receive the Proto team’s most dedicated performance — turning automation ideas into reality.
About Medical City South Luzon
The Medical City South Luzon, a 100-bed hospital in Santa Rosa, serves as TMC’s gateway to the provinces of Laguna, Batangas, and Cavite. Inaugurated in 2015, the hospital offers top-quality diagnostic and treatment services, drawing from the Medical City’s renowned centres of excellence. With plans to expand to 150 beds, TMC South Luzon is positioned for growth, supporting the healthcare needs of the region and reinforcing the group’s national expansion strategy.
