Cancer remains a formidable health challenge in the Philippines, claiming countless lives each year. To combat this devastating disease, institutions like the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMMC) are intensifying their efforts in prevention and treatment to mitigate the devastating impact of cancer on Filipinos and their families.
During a public revalida last October 8 with the Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA), JRRMMC bagged the Gold Trailblazer Award and was conferred the Compliant Status under ISA’s good governance framework, Performance Governance System (PGS).
ISA’s public revalida is a democratic exercise that validates the public institutions’ completion of the four stages of the PGS. Enrolled institutions include the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office and the Department of Health (DOH), among others.
JRRMMC’s Medical Center Chief, Dr. Wenceslao Llauderes, presented the challenges and the initiatives they took to turn their strategic position into reality. In its pursuit of providing accessible and quality healthcare, the medical center envisions itself as a “recognized advanced comprehensive cancer center by 2025.”
Since its conferral of the PGS Initiated status in 2021, the hospital has made significant accomplishments in improving and developing its comprehensive cancer services. Specifically, it has been able to adopt a comprehensive and innovative approach to cancer care thereby establishing a Hospital Multi-Disciplinary Tumor Conference Board which provides holistic assistance in the management of cancer as it is comprised of doctors from multiple fields of medicine. Moreover, JRRMMC has also been able to establish the Mohs Micrographic Surgery Unit, implement the Skin Cancer Awareness Program, and offer Minimally Invasive Surgery for
Cancer. Aside from these services, it has also been observed that the hospital has been able to conduct public health education programs to promote cancer awareness.
During the panel evaluation led by ISA Trustee and Fellow, Mr. Guillermo Luz, the medical center chief explained that they attained several of their targets and brought accessible healthcare to their patients through their strategies for self-sufficiency and financial management.
“The task really of the service of the hospital is to, of course, no balance billings and zero out-of-pocket among patients. But as far as third-party financial resources, PhilHealth, medical assistance funds, even from PCSO and DSWD are different layers of funds that the mandate of the government to provide totally free services among patients is being rolled out or being implemented,” Dr. Llauderes said.
Ensuring better service delivery in their catchment areas, JRRMMC has also teamed up with the City Government of Manila, allowing primary health services to be delivered beyond hospital-based clinical care, decongesting the hospital from an influx of patients.
“We actually strengthened our partnership with the LGU health facility, because part of the [Mulit-Sectoral Governance Council] is the mayor of Manila—Mayor Honey Lacuña, her approval to be a partner in the delivery of service. So currently we have three LGU health facility partnerships,” the medical center chief shared.
Additionally, the hospital also has several publications from its Neurology Department on movement disorders. This research was a close collaboration between JRRMC, Boston Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Sunshine Care Foundation.
“Jose Reyes is one of the [Institutional Review Board]-approved center in terms of screening of patients, particularly those with X-link deficiencies. So high impact, because for now, we have four published, international publications for this research,” Dr. Llauderes added.
With the long-term goal of becoming a national cancer center, Dr. Llauderes also shared that JRRMMC receives patients from all over the country, from as far as Tawi-tawi and Zamboanga. Moving forward to fulfill its goal of providing cancer care to Filipinos, the medical center hopes to establish satellite centers across the country.
“So we are actually doing some initial discussions of putting some satellite service there in Mindanao and in Visayas […]. And [in the] North, probably in Cagayan,” the medical center chief said.
Following their conferral of the Compliant status, Dr. Llauderes received the Gold Trailblazer Award. On behalf of JRRMMC, the medical center chief extended his gratitude to external stakeholders, the panelists, and all their employees.
“Our PGS journey has been challenging but very rewarding in so many ways. It did not only help us achieve our strategic goals to go beyond better but the processes brought our employees […] closer together in one shared commitment to improve our beloved institution,” he said in his acceptance speech. “Halikayo at saksihan ang dekalidad na serbisyong handog ng Jose Reyes.”
