Smart CSR programs win big at 53rd Anvil Awards

Patients from rural areas getting quick and efficient health service. Children in communities without electricity learning how to write the alphabet through tablets. College students learning how to prepare for disasters. Lolos and Lolas knowing how to use their mobile phone to access the internet.

For helping improve the daily lives of these Filipinos through its corporate social responsibility programs, Smart Communications received several awards, including two top citations, at the 53rd Anvil Awards. Organized annually by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines, the Anvil Awards is considered the Oscars of public relations in the country.

In a ceremony held recently in Taguig, Smart won the Grand Prix Award for having the highest number of Gold Anvils this year. The company also got the Grand Anvil recognition for SHINE OS+ (Secured Health Information Network and Exchange), an electronic medical record (EMR) system that enables health facilities to provide faster and better service to their patients. The Grand Anvil is given to the most outstanding PR program of the year.

A few years ago, workers in rural health units had to manually file and search for patient records. The practice was time-consuming, especially for patients who had to wait for medical files to be retrieved before they could consult with a doctor. Patient records were also at the risk of damage by rodents and the weather.

Today, a number of health facilities can retrieve patient files with just a few clicks on a laptop. Workers can now serve more patients, refer them electronically to better-equipped health facilities, send SMS reminders for appointments and medication, and submit relevant patient information to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. for faster processing of claims and health statistics. These are made possible by SHINE OS+ which is being run by Smart and the Ateneo Java Wireless Competency Center. (PR)