The Valenzuela Medical Center (VMC) received a Silver Trailblazer Award during a public revalida with the Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA) last September 5 and was conferred with the Compliant Status under ISA’s good governance framework, the Performance Governance System (PGS).
The public revalida is a democratic exercise that validates the public institutions’ completion of the four stages of the PGS. Enrolled institutions include the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of Health (DOH), among others.
VMC’s Medical Center Chief, Dr. Estela Javier, presented the challenges and the initiatives they took to turn their strategic position into reality. In its pursuit of delivering better health care services to its community, VMC envisions itself as a 250-bed Apex Hospital with basic comprehensive capabilities in Dermatology, Neonatology, and Geriatrics serving the Northern National Capital Region by 2025.
Beginning its governance journey in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, VMC was able to recalibrate its goals and forge partnerships, resulting in the establishment of three new Specialty centers. One of which is the Center for Dermatology, which has met 100% of its basic comprehensive care requirements and pushed on to 88% of its advanced comprehensive care requirements, well ahead of the 2028 target schedule.
“With a complement of capable staff, enhanced facilities, and modern equipment, [our] service capabilities expanded through specialized treatments, advanced dermatologic surgeries, and teledermatology, stretching its reach through satellite clinics and partnerships, as far north as Manaoag and Batanes, down to Romblon in the south,” Dr. Javier shared.
Moreover, the center has also achieved several breakthroughs such as an impressive 2,063% increase in consultations, the addition of Newborn Dermatologic Screening, and the “Balat Kalinga” initiatives, which brought clinical services directly to the patients’ homes and persons deprived of liberty.
Alongside this, Dr. Javier also shared that VMC has expanded its Health Care Provider Network (HCPN), where they have formally connected with primary and secondary hospitals within Valenzuela and Navotas City and other DOH-accredited hospitals.
“Valenzuela Medical Center took the lead to have this integrated urban health system referral system for the CAMANAVA area […] It took us years for this Health Care Provider Network to be realized,” the medical center chief said.
With an expanded HCPN, VMC can now refer patients to its network of providers, reducing the waiting time and congestion within their hospital.
“So with the implementation of the HCPN, which was piloted here in Valenzuela, we were able to reduce the patients that we are seeing at the [Out-Patient Department]. Somehow, gradually, we are helping each other to improve the health-seeking behavior of our patients. Now they know that our health centers are equally equipped, [and] equally capable of handling primary and secondary diseases,” Dr. Javier said.
This string of achievements was not left unnoticed by the revalida panelists, led by ISA Fellow, Dr. Gerardo Manzo from the Philippine Heart Center. Pleased with the developments in the Center for Dermatology, panelist and Immediate Past President of the Philippine Dermatological Society Dr. Francisco Rivera said that the VMC was “able to achieve an advanced and comprehensive specialty center” even in such a short time.
Following their conferral of the PGS Compliant status, Dr. Javier received the Silver Trailblazer award and extended her gratitude to external stakeholders, partners, panelists, and all VMC employees.
“We set our sights now [on] the Proficiency Stage,” Dr. Javier said. “We are bound to this, our commitment to excel, to continue this endeavor to surpass our goals, towards the ultimate vision, a healthier future for all, because at the VMC, we cannot say this enough, your health does matter the most!”
