More and better ways of accessing healthcare

The Medical City South Luzon wins awards at Healthcare Asia Awards.

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many members of the healthcare industry were put under immense pressure to cope with the new challenges the crisis delivered whilst also ensuring that their hospitals did not have stagnated growth. The Medical City South Luzon (TMCSL) understood the challenges they had to face, and in overcoming it, was awarded the Secondary Hospital of the Year - Philippines Award and the ESG Programme of the Year - Philippines Award at the Healthcare Asia Awards 2022. 

The awards programme recognises remarkable performances or cutting-edge development from Healthcare organisations across Asia, and The Medical City South Luzon’s effort to handle the pressure presented by the pandemic as well as ensure their continued growth distinguished themselves from their competitors and other award aspirants along with its state-of-the-art eye centre that never fails to achieve. 

Staying afloat through the toughest of times 

TMCSL recorded its best year for revenue in 2021, noting a 67% increase from 2020 to 2021 compared to just 3% between 2019 and 2020, all thanks to TMCSL’s efforts to mitigate losses and adapting to challenges presented by the pandemic by balancing and sustaining its operations to both covid and non-covid cases, such as being the first hospital in Laguna to open its doors to Covid-19 cases in early 2020 and the establishment of Complex of Hope, a fully-equipped Covid-19 care facility. 

Whilst it is important to recognise TMCSL’s efforts to remain profitable despite the pandemic and the rise of Covid cases, the importance of future-proofing operations for any repeats of the crisis was seen as paramount, an initiative was launched within TMCSL with the establishment of 7 new services that include of the Mobile Clinic, Cardiovascular Institute, Neurocritical Care Program, Kidney & Stone Center, Molecular Laboratory, ENT Center, and HIV Treatment Hub, marking TMCSL’s largest service opening within a year in its history. 

Integrating technology and the need for advancement was seen with TMCSL’s automation through the introduction of IT systems such as Online Appointment, Online Healthcare Declaration, COVID-19 Vaccination Management, Annual Physical Examination (APE) & Executive Check-Up (ECU) Management, and Patient Bill Management. 

Apart from improving their operations, TMCSL also initiated a campaign to combat medical misinformation online, especially on social media, by uploading relevant health information on the social media pages and with their broadcasted programs such as one-on-one interviews with their own doctors named “Health Hou”', “MDebunk” which shows doctors reacting and debunking some common health myths, misconceptions, and wrong practices, and their health webinars named “Talk to Doc”.

Expanding their vision in saving eyesight 

Established back in April 2018, the Eye Center has provided comprehensive and compassionate eye screening and treatment to many patient partners, and TMCSL takes pride as one of the leaders in providing free, accessible, and affordable healthcare services from giving out free eye checkups during TMCSL’s Medical Missions and free screenings during eye diseases related celebrations such as World Glaucoma Week and Sight Saving Months. 

Under the leadership of President & CEO Dr Cesar Ramon G. Espiritu, TMCSL was able to expand its initiative to provide more sustainable corporate social responsibility in Ophthalmology with free cataract surgeries in Laguna and nearby areas through their partnership with Mabuhay Deseret Foundation (MDF), the Philippines’ largest surgical charity group. 

The partnership was spearheaded by the efforts and advocacy of Dr Peter Lloyd Mallari, an ophthalmologist at TMCSL and a long-time partner for MDF, paving the way for the first hospital partnership on behalf of MDF in the south of Metro Manila, and allowing qualified patients to avail the cataract surgery simply through their Philhealth benefit. 

Starting around early 2020, 560 patients have been screened with 92 operated on from different parts of Laguna and nearby areas, with surgeries scheduled every Friday. An additional 500 patients were screened in March 2021, and the program boasts 35 patients completely regaining their eyesight as a result of TMCSL’s initiative. 

The institution aims to expand its goals of serving more patients, not just for those with cataracts, but with people suffering from different eye diseases.