RURAL clinicians may encounter obstacles in maintaining current knowledge due to constraints such as limited resources and inconsistent internet connectivity. These factors can present challenges in remaining abreast of the latest advancements in medical information.
Wolters Kluwer Health, a global company in professional information solutions, seeks to support health care providers with tools like UpToDate — a resource that delivers essential medical insights directly to clinicians, helping them stay informed no matter where they work.
In a recent interview, Norman Deery, vice president of Sales for Wolters Kluwer Health Asia Pacific, highlighted how UpToDate is instrumental in bridging critical health care access gaps throughout the Philippines.
A lifeline for Filipino clinicians
“For health care providers in the Philippines, accessing the latest medical knowledge is often a challenge,” Deery explained. “Ten years ago, information doubled approximately every three and a half years. Now, it doubles every 73 days.” With this rapid pace, UpToDate provides current, evidence-based information directly to clinicians’ mobile phones, laptops, or tablets.
UpToDate includes offline functionality to accommodate connectivity issues, allowing content to be downloaded when a network is available. “If there’s a power outage or loss of network, clinicians can still have all the content that was last downloaded,” Deery noted. This feature is particularly valuable for health care providers in remote regions with inconsistent internet access, ensuring critical medical information is accessible when needed most.
Today, there are around 7,500 authors or specialists who contribute to UpToDate. “We only use authors that we’ve certified to work with us,” Deery said, adding that the editorial process includes five levels of review before information reaches the platform. This careful vetting ensures clinicians are accessing reliable information, eliminating the uncertainty of online searches.
Wolters Kluwer also tailors UpToDate to meet the needs of each country by incorporating local health care guidelines. This localization ensures Filipino clinicians can reference global best practices alongside national protocols, enhancing the tool’s relevance for health care providers nationwide.
Enhancing patient outcomes
“Clinicians can be reassured that whatever they’re prescribing, whatever treatment they’re giving, is the latest evidence-based information,” Deery said. This assurance helps deliver more accurate care and fosters confidence among patients, who know they’re receiving treatments grounded in current medical advancements.
Deery referenced a 2012 study in the Singapore Medical Journal, which showed that when clinicians used UpToDate, they changed their decision 37 percent of the time, often because of new evidence or updated information. This flexibility allows for higher care standards, benefiting patients and clinicians across the Philippines.
A holistic approach to health care
While UpToDate is the core tool, Wolters Kluwer’s support for health care providers extends further. They offer a suite of tools, including Lexidrug, a drug information resource, and MediSpan, a drug interaction tool that supports patients from diagnosis through treatment.
“We’re there for the whole journey, from the minute they go into the hospital until they’re discharged,” Deery added. This comprehensive support allows providers to work more efficiently, reduce medication errors, and streamline patient care, delivering consistently high-quality treatment no matter where the patient is located.
Aligning with the Philippines’ goal of universal health care, Wolters Kluwer focuses on making quality health care accessible to everyone, regardless of location or financial status. In collaboration with the Department of Health and through support of national initiatives, they aim to expand health care access across the Philippines.
When Covid-19 hit, Wolters Kluwer opened up UpToDate to clinicians worldwide, providing free access to critical, evidence-based information on the virus. “We just felt that was the right thing to do,” Deery shared, highlighting how essential it was to offer reliable information during such an uncertain time.
A vision for the future
With its expanding presence in the Philippines and a strong focus on health care innovation, Wolters Kluwer Health is helping to shape the country’s health care future. Through UpToDate, the company is transforming how providers access information, make decisions and deliver care.
“Clinicians have an extremely difficult role in the community, particularly in the Philippines where they’re supporting such a high number of the population. We want to work side by side to make sure that they are making the right decision at the right time,” Deery said.
Looking ahead, Wolters Kluwer aims to support equitable health care access by equipping clinicians and patients with evidence-based tools. These resources could contribute to a more consistent and effective health care system across the Philippines.
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