ANGELES CITY -- The Angeles City Council on Tuesday resolved to host a committee hearing soon to finally draw proposals on how to improve the discount system for indigent patients of the Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center (formerly Ospital Ning Angeles).
This came after the Chief of Hospital Dr. Antonio Dizon wrote a memorandum that led to a backlash from the Mayor’s Desk led by Councilor Alex Indiongco and other local officials who found portions of the memo to be “a bit offensive.”
Dizon issued Memorandum No. 61 "Activities Detrimental to the Survival of the Ospital Ning Angeles" and Memorandum No. 62 "Policies to Increase Hospital Collections."
On Tuesday’s regular session, Vice Mayor Vicky Vega Cabigting said there should be open communication lines between the city hospital officials and other government officials to ease out the "tension."
Cabigting said the issue should not compromise the good working relationship between officials and the overall service given to hospital patients.
Dizon said the memorandum had been issued after some members of the Mayor's Desk have been giving “too much” discounts to hospital patients who can in fact pay, thereby helping in the operation of the hospital. Dizon also said there is a need to fully screen patients as to their capacity to pay fees being charged by the hospital.
Dizon said some of the patients have been allowed to pay very minimal fees.
"Some are asked to pay only P500," Dizon said, even if patients have stayed for more than three days.
Dizon, despite his rationalization, drew flak from Councilors Alex Indiongco and Jericho Aguas because of the "strong terms" he used in the letter.
Indiongco also said that the city hospital is subsidized by the City Government funds and that losing money for the sake of helping indigents is a part of the operation of the city hospital.
Dizon apologized to the city councilors for the wordings he used in the letters.
However, Cabigting backed the proposal of Councilor Amos Rivera to draft a policy system on the discounts being given to indigents.
Rivera proposed an orderly dispensation of discounts and evaluation of patient cases for payment. Rivera also raised the question on Indiongco's status at the Mayor's Desk, adding that his current situation raises a "question of law" as the latter is currently a city councilor while holding a position in the said office.
Cabigting said the issue will be forwarded to the appropriate committee. The Vice Mayor also called on the parties to maintain open communication lines. She added that while there are questions on the discount system, all of the people concerned are mainly after better service for patients of ONA.