THE Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) will temporarily close its emergency room (ER) on September 28, 2025.
Dr. Joan Cerrada, CLMMRH chief, said the hospital will begin a P92-million renovation of the emergency department, expected to last about three months.
“We want to improve and optimize space management, enhance the physical set-up for better patient and personnel experience, and improve work efficiency,” Cerrada said.
A temporary ER with 18 beds will be set up at the outpatient department (OPD) waiting area, along with four to five holding areas at the Mother and Child Building, which will accommodate 45 to 50 beds.
Cerrada said patient prioritization will follow the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS), with categories I-II and trauma cases prioritized. Other patients may be referred to partner hospitals depending on bed availability.
Starting September 28, walk-in patients arriving directly at CLMMRH will undergo triage at the temporary ER. Critical cases (CTAS 1-2) and prioritized trauma cases (CTAS 3) will be admitted immediately if beds are available. Stable cases (CTAS 3-5) will be redirected to partner private hospitals when capacity is exceeded.
Patients referred from community health centers, private hospitals or emergency medical services (EMS) will be managed through the CLMMRH Operations Center (OpCen). The Integrated Hospital Operations Monitoring System (IHOMS)-developed bed tracker system, the Emergency Room Consortium Monitoring System, will be used to match patients with available beds at CLMMRH or private hospitals.
Patients initially treated at private hospital emergency departments may be transferred to CLMMRH for admission once stabilized and as soon as beds become available.
Cerrada said admission conditions will depend on triage priority and ER or holding area bed availability.
She said CLMMRH will cover the cost of emergency services for patients referred through the coordinated system. However, subsequent admissions in private hospitals will also be covered by CLMMRH.
PhilHealth benefits will apply to eligible patients, alongside mandatory discounts for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Additional funding support will come from CLMMRH income.
A pilot run of the patient flow process will begin on September 20, 2025, with weekly feedback sessions to identify and resolve gaps.
Cerrada said support from clinicians, nurses, administrative staff, local government units and the media will be essential to ensure smooth patient care during the ER renovation.
On Wednesday, September 17, CLMMRH also signed a memorandum of agreement with six leading private hospitals: Riverside Medical Center, The Doctors’ Hospital, Bacolod Adventist Medical Center, South Bacolod General Hospital, Bacolod Queen of Mercy Hospital, and Metro Bacolod Hospital and Medical Center.
“This partnership underscores our shared commitment to ensuring uninterrupted care for our community while the CLMMRH ER undergoes its much-needed renovation,” said Shareen Caelian, chief administrative officer for finance services at CLMMRH.
She said the partnership with private hospitals will be vital in navigating ER patients, particularly those requiring prioritized care.
“Through coordinated efforts and the shared use of resources, we aim to optimize patient care and ensure that critical cases are swiftly and appropriately managed,” she added. (MAP)