PharmaServ targets one million downloads by yearend

PharmaServ Express aims to achieve one million downloads for its healthcare app by the end of the year, as more Filipinos opt for medicine delivery to save fuel costs.

“With the increase in gas prices and consumers limiting their travel, we expect more e-commerce transactions, including for our app,” PharmaServ Medical Director Salvador Pedro G. Rebullida told BusinessWorld in an interview.

“⁠Our goal is to achieve one million downloads by yearend,” he added.

The PharmaServ Express app, launched last month, serves as a third-party courier for its major drugstore partners, such as Mercury Drug, South Star, Watsons, and Med Express.

Users can upload their prescriptions or manually input each medication through the app, and select nearby drugstores available.

“PharmaServ app is basically, if you think about it, something like Grab,” Mr. Rebullida said. “The difference is we don’t handle the medications on our own, what we handle are the medications that each consumer orders.”

The platform also aims to mitigate the impacts of the Middle East war on Filipino families.

“Of course, the Middle East War is going to affect mainly the transportation costs of devices and materials,” Mr. Rebullida said. “PharmaServ is keeping it at pace and limiting its expenses by still shouldering the primary costs of deliveries.”

“We are limiting the cost of each patient when they go out of their homes and travel, and the time that they’ve consumed, the amount of energy that they’ve consumed, and the amount of money that they have to spend on travel and gasoline and even parking,” he added.

According to the Department of Energy (DoE) on Monday, gasoline and diesel prices this week increased by P2.21 and P2.66 per liter, respectively. Pump prices in Metro Manila and other highly urbanized areas reached P107.48 per liter for diesel, while gasoline prices are at P107.11 per liter.

The platform plans to integrate logistic scheduling for users who require tests at home or in a clinic, and partner with health maintenance organizations (HMOs) nationwide to streamline diagnostics and medication.

“When they arrive, the patient doesn’t need to have a longer queue, faster response time, and the laboratories will also be delivered through the app,” Mr. Rebullida said.

“We can streamline as well the clinic consultations, if necessary, such as the LOAs (letter of authorization) that are approved by the HMOs, so that the patient can have better health care from the clinic, diagnostics, and medication center,” he added.

The PharmaServ Express app currently has 10,000 users and is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play store. — Almira Louise S. Martinez