Makati Life Medical Center wins Integrated Healthcare Provider of the Year - Philippines at the 2025 Healthcare Asia Awards

MLMC is setting a new standard for inclusive, accessible healthcare in the Philippines.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Standing out in a competitive field of healthcare innovators across the Philippines and the region, Makati Life Medical Center (MLMC) earned top honors as Integrated Healthcare Provider of the Year - Philippines at the Healthcare Asia Awards 2025. The award highlights MLMC’s bold and unprecedented integration of a comprehensive primary care system within a hospital setting, and its pioneering Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with the City Government of Makati, which bridges private sector efficiency with public sector accessibility.

An integrated care model

At the heart of MLMC’s recognition is its groundbreaking care model— to seamlessly integrate primary care services within a hospital setting. This means patients no longer need to navigate disconnected clinics, diagnostics centres, and specialty providers. At Makati Life, one visit connects the patient to consultation, diagnostics, treatment, and follow-up care—all under one roof, and often, all in one visit.

This integrated approach has already transformed the lives of tens of thousands of patients since the opening of MLMC’s Primary Care Center in May 2023. With more than 800 patients served daily and 70% of them seen through structured appointment systems, the hospital has dramatically reduced waiting times and improved care coordination. Services include general consultations, laboratory and imaging procedures, as well as outpatient surgeries.

Bridging public and private: The power of PPP

What sets Makati Life further apart is its Public-Private Partnership with the City Government of Makati— a national first for tertiary hospitals in the country. Under this agreement, Life Nurture Inc., MLMC’s private operator, invested up to PHP10b to complete, equip, and operate the hospital, whilst the city provided the hospital shell and land.

This partnership model does not segment care by economic class. Patients with Makati’s Yellow Card, private payors, and those with health insurance or HMO coverage all receive the same level of high-quality service, use the same advanced equipment, and are seen by the same pool of experienced physicians and specialists.

“We don’t draw lines between government-sponsored and private patients. Everyone receives the same dignity in care, no matter how they pay,” said Dr Dennis Sta. Ana, President and CEO of Makati Life Medical Center. “This model proves that it’s possible to build a healthcare system that is both inclusive and world-class.

Setting the blueprint for the future

Beyond infrastructure, MLMC is designed to be a digital-first smart hospital, targeting HIMSS certification. From AI-enabled monitoring in ICUs to a 24/7 outpatient department and from electronic medical records to real-time appointment scheduling, the hospital is setting new standards in digital healthcare delivery.

The hospital also introduced a “Human Experience” model that redefines both patient care and caregiver well-being—with initiatives that support nurses, doctors, and hospital staff through better working conditions, rest facilities, and professional development.

MLMC is set to fully launch the hospital services in 2025, along with flagship centres in surgery, cancer, heart, and critical care—bringing advanced services like robotic surgery and linear accelerators for cancer treatment to more Filipinos.

A win for all Filipinos

The Healthcare Asia Awards, which celebrates the best hospitals and medical institutions in the region, recognised Makati Life Medical Center for its holistic, scalable, and inclusive model of care. By fully integrating primary care into a hospital framework—and making that system accessible to both government-sponsored and private patients—MLMC is shaping the future of healthcare in the Philippines.

“This isn’t just a hospital—it’s a healthcare movement,” Dr Sta. Ana concluded. “Makati Life is a model for what Philippine healthcare can become: inclusive, innovative, and deeply human.”

The Healthcare Asia Awards is presented by Healthcare Asia Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2026 awards programme and be acclaimed for your organisation's remarkable initiatives and contributions to the healthcare industry, please contact Julie Anne Nuñez at [email protected].