Hospitals urged to deliver quality healthcare to meet global standards
Filipino healthcare professionals
are known worldwide to be the best in their field and yet when you look at the
healthcare system in our country, it leaves something, well a lot really to be
desired. Yes, some health facilities may be impressive and is considered to be
of high standard, still it varies widely depending in what areas you are. The
fact that local medical facilities still need to play catch-up in order to make
the Philippines an international hub for healthcare is the main concern right
now. We still hear cases of patients being refuse admittance to a hospital,
lack of equipment or not enough medical professionals to cater for patients.
Our country may have landed
on the 5th spot in the most competitive economy in Southeast Asia in the recent
Global Competitiveness Report released by the World Economic Forum, but still it
lags in three pillars, including health. To date, there are 14 internationally
accredited healthcare facilities in the Philippines.
As hospitals and clinics
continuously step up to upgrade their facilities and services, one organization
is helping them shape up to achieve world-class status.
HealthCore, the center for
international quality accreditation for healthcare and medical tourism in the
Philippines, has been breathing life into the country’s goal to become globally
competitive in the healthcare arena. Since its establishment in 2010,
HealthCore has been pushing the industry improve the quality of the hospitals
and medical facilities in the country.
“As the ASEAN
representative of various international certification organizations, we promote
the globalization of healthcare,” HealthCore president and CEO Joyce
Socao-Alumno said. “From day one, our advocacy is to help bring the quality of
our medical facilities’ services at par with the international/global
standards.”
She explained that they
assist various stakeholders involved in international healthcare management,
medical and wellness tourism, and retirement services to achieve global
competitiveness, excellent patient service and outcomes, and enhanced bottom
line through education, international accreditation, and strategic approaches.
“In a bid to make the
Philippines and the ASEAN become a global healthcare destination, HealthCore
has committed itself to become part of the medical facilities’ journey to
deliver world-class healthcare, particularly in the areas of: academy,
accreditation, consultancy, and trading,” Alumno said.
Recognizing the challenges
that hospitals and clinics face in trying to be globally competitive,
HealthCore organizes workshops, seminars and on-site trainings that provide
insights on how they can acquire international accreditation from International
Organization for Standardization (ISO), Temos and International Society for
Quality Healthcare (ISQUA), accrediting bodies like JCI and National
Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH).
Part of its recent
initiatives include the training of healthcare professionals on the revised
version of the ISO 9001:2015 BS EN 15224: 2016. Supported by the Department of
Health (DOH), Philippine Hospital Association, and the Private Hospitals
Association of the Philippines, HealthCore, as the ASEAN representative of
Swiss Approval, discussed the Implementation Guidelines and Best Practices for
the Audit and Certification of Quality Management Systems (QMS) and Patient
Safety in Healthcare Services.
HealthCore also offers
consultancy services in the areas of operational efficiency, patient care,
facility management and safety, infection control, continuous quality
improvement, and quality audit tools as prescribed by international
accreditation standards. It has recently concluded a talk on reinventing
healthcare through patient-centered hospital designs. The event brought experts
from across the globe to discuss about design and technology that change the
way hospitals and clinics are operated with the patient at the center of all
considerations.
In addition, HealthCore
Hospi-tel furniture that give luxurious comfort to patients that are
affordable, yet with excellent quality
All these, Alumno said, are
geared towards helping the Philippines push its huge potential in the area of
medical tourism, a market that is estimated to be worth $22 billion. Currently,
the country ranks 19th in the overall global ranking according to the Medical
Tourism Index. As hospitals and clinics work toward that goal, with support
from the government, HealthCore is relentlessly working behind the scenes to push
for global competitiveness. “In terms of international standards, the
Philippines is well on its way to get a clean bill of health,” Alumno said. “As
we have in the beginning, we at HealthCore will continue to play our role to
reach this goal – one medical facility at a time.”
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