THE Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) in Bacolod City is stepping up its efforts to further improve the delivery of health services and other programs for its patients in Negros Occidental, its top official said.
Medical center chief Dr. Julius Drilon, during the press conference on the 90th Founding Anniversary and Hospital Week celebration of CLMMRH on Monday, said the hospital remains committed to serve patients especially indigents on top of providing state-of-the-art facilities and skilled medical workers.
Under the Duterte administration, the Department of Health (DOH) has improved and simplified the universal healthcare program, he said.
“The government is pushing for the expansion of the universal health coverage through PhilHealth,” Drilon said, adding that President Duterte has initially expressed to provide P30 billion additional funds to public hospitals by tapping the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).
Providing additional funds to healthcare will really result to bigger coverage and access to medical services, he stressed.
CLMMRH is also working on expanding its point-of-care enrollment program especially for indigent patients in the province, Drilon said, adding that the hospital through its medical assistance program is sourcing other funds for the patients’ balance which cannot be covered by PhilHealth.
In terms of service delivery networks, the hospital chief also said that CLMMRH continues to coordinate with different local government units in the implementation of “medical mission” program, where patients in every locality who need specialists will be brought to the hospital for treatment.
Moreover, the CLMMRH also announced on Monday that it is set to open its Renal Kidney Transplant Center in the last quarter of the year.
The facility, which is part of the billion-worth West Tower Building, will offer services that are cheaper than private centers, said Marlon Tabligan, chief of medical professional service.
The hospital will also start the operation of its P40-million Lithotripsy facility after the issuance of the license to operate by DOH expected in two weeks, Tabligan added.
Meanwhile, during the 2016 Hospital Week, which runs until Thursday, CLMMRH will provide free services like random blood sugar checkup, HIV/Aids testing, pap smear, dental cleaning, and consultation to first 90 outpatient department (OPD) patients.
The hospital management has also scheduled lectures on dengue virus, free digital exam, bone scanning, among others.