Tabib.mt is an online, Maltese, digital platform implementing the efficiency and effectiveness that comes with telehealth visits. Together with the integration of digital communication applications, appointments can be made with a specialised practitioner from different medical backgrounds. At the comfort of one’s home, through the Tabib platform, one can connect to a practitioner of choice and consult that practitioner through videoconferencing means.

The normal physical process of consulting a doctor would normally take at least an hour of a person’s time, however, Tabib has come up with a system which shoots that down to a process of 10 to 15 minutes.

Since officially launching the platform and going live with the first telehealth visit on April 6, over 150 online consultations have been successfully conducted.

Michael Psaila Debono, who is the business unit leader behind the project, here gives some insights into the thought process behind the project.

What was the main driver for the release of the platform?

To be totally honest with you, Tabib was launched quickly as an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) in response to the social distancing regulations that the COVID-19 outbreak brought with it.

The thought process behind the development of the idea came about during the peak of the virus, when everyone was still extremely hesitant to even buy bread from the nearby grocery store.

At that time, the only shops which were actually open were either supermarkets or pharmacies and house visits were strictly a no-no, even with other family members. One of our team members fell ill one day with a normal cold and wasn’t allowed a doctor visit. Alas the idea was born.

Could you give us a description of the platform and its benefits?

Tabib delivers an efficient, seamless  and simple healthcare experience that provides a “medical health professional for every citizen” telehealth platform for Malta.

It puts both primary care practitioners as well as patients at the epicentre by bridging the gap between themselves and health systems, enabling everyone − especially symptomatic patients −  to stay at home and indulge in virtual communication. By doing so, the risk of spread of any virus to mass populations and the frontline medical staff is reduced.

People do not need to get out of the house, jump into a car, drive to a clinic, withstand the horrible traffic, sit in a germy waiting room for long to consult a practitioner for 10 minutes. With our platform, you can do this from the comfort of your own home − and what used to be a two-hour epic journey has now been effortlessly transformed into a much shorter 10-minute one.

Obviously if you break a bone, an emergency room will have to be physically visited. However, research proves that around 70 per cent of all health visits can actually be done over digital means.

I would like to make it clear that in no way, shape or form are we trying to replace physical visits. We see ourselves as an extension for efficient, clean healthcare to be delivered consistently.

How does the platform work?

Very simple. We have tried to make it as user-friendly as possible. As a patient, all you need to do is go to the website www.tabib.mt. On the homepage, you will be presented with a number of different medical practitioners, ranging from physiotherapists to dietitians to medical doctors. You choose a practitioner you need to consult for whatever it is you need, book a consultation, make the payment and you will be sent an e-mail with the details of the consultation you have booked.     

Were you nervous for the platform not kicking off?

I have to say yes and I speak for the rest of the team here too. Who wouldn’t be when so much time and energy is invested in a project you hold so dearly to your heart?

However, nervousness aside, we were always pretty confident that the project would have gone down well with the Maltese public, especially given the times.

I believe it was high time that awareness surrounding the possibility of digital consultations came to light on the islands. Abroad, this has been existing for a long, long time. In no way are we trying to reinvent the wheel here. It is just very surprising how this has not already been implemented on the island.

Looking at it from a glass-half-full perspective, COVID-19 did manage to accelerate the awareness for this to be introduced on the islands and it seems to have left an impact as we’ve gotten a very good response.

Do you see your platform to be useful for post-COVID measures? Who could benefit from your platform?

Absolutely! The virus has brought to light the awareness of unnecessary contact with people. Once the social distancing regulations are lifted, people will be hesitant to “go back to normal” in terms of physical contact.

The virus has accelerated a global shift of consumer behaviour towards digital solutions for personal, work as well as healthcare communications.

There are many beneficiaries. Maltese expats living abroad can now have the opportunity to consult any Maltese doctor on our platform; tourists and expats coming to Malta, who are already accustomed to such technology in their own countries; companies can resort to providing telehealth services for their staff members; stress levels for everyone are alleviated; and the carbon footprint is reduced due to less travel to clinics.