Despite facing political divisions, natural disasters, and even armed conflicts, the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC) recently progressed in its governance journey for its efforts to transform healthcare in Central Mindanao and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
During a public revalida with the Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA), CRMC was honored with the Silver Trailblazer Award as they achieved the Compliant Status under ISA’s Performance Governance System (PGS) on September 4.
The Public Revalida is a democratic exercise that validates a public institution’s 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.
CRMC Medical Center Chief Dr. Ishmael R. Dimaren highlighted the hospital’s progress to the second stage of the governance pathway in his presentation, underscoring its strategic position of becoming “a Multi-specialty Center in Region XII and BARMM by 2028.”
Since beginning its transformation journey through the PGS framework in 2019, CRMC has implemented several key innovations. These include system harmonization to enhance operations and manpower, motivational initiatives like its PRAISE committee, and most notably, the Ibadah-Friendly Hospital (IFH) program, which has received international recognition and will be presented at the International Hospital Federation – World Hospital Congress in Brazil on September 12.
“We have also established an Ibadah-friendly environment, our very unique institutional program ensuring that we honor and respect the practices of all faiths, creating a space where interfaith harmony is embraced including Halal Certification of our Dietary Services,” Dr. Dimaren said.
Four of CRMC’s 17 approved multi-specialty centers are now also fully operational: the Cancer Institute, Heart Center, Mental Health Unit, and Trauma Care. With its advanced facilities and streamlined processes, these centers provide cutting-edge treatment within the institution, reducing the need for external referrals and boosting inbound referrals from other institutions.
“In preparation for the upcoming 13 multi-specialty centers, we now have 88 specialized doctors on board, each bringing their expertise to our diverse range of services. [This] extends to our nursing and allied health staff, who are actively engaged in ongoing training programs designed to elevate their skills and readiness for the new centers,” Dr. Dimaren said.
The panel, chaired by former DOH Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial, recognized all of the medical center’s remarkable achievements, adding that CRMC’s “initiatives on Halal and Ibadah” are “unique”.
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Dimaren expressed his gratitude to ISA and the panelists for recognizing CRMC’s success, saying that the award reflects their progress in building a multi-specialty facility to serve Central Mindanao and neighboring regions.
“Receiving this honor is a testament to the incredible strides we are making in building a multi-specialty that will serve not only the BARMM and SOCCSKSARGEN region but in the entire Central Mindanao region. I look forward to the future and [the] opportunity it contains as we continue to push the boundaries for the innovation for the highest quality healthcare services,” Dr. Dimaren said.
