• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Negros Occidental provincial government is accelerating the modernization of its hospital network, rolling out key facility upgrades, digital system integrations, and enhanced emergency response capabilities to provide more efficient, accessible, and patient-centered healthcare services across the province.
The modernization of Capitol-managed hospitals forms part of the three-point strategic transformation plan spearheaded by Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II in his capacity as officer-in-charge of the Provincial Health Office-Hospital Operations Services.
Diaz said the plan centers on fostering self-reliant hospitals, improving health worker welfare, and offering more affordable, high-quality patient care.
As part of the ongoing infrastructure pushes, the provincial government recently delivered a new 385-kVA silent-type generator set to Hinoba-an District Hospital, specifically sized to support its operational requirements and minimize downtime during power interruptions.
Simultaneously, the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital (TLJPH) in Silay City received a major boost with the delivery of a 750-kVA silent-type generator set, which was transferred from Hinoba-an, along with new medical equipment and specialized beds and cribs.
Renovations for the third and fourth floors of the Cadiz District Hospital, with a P14-million budget, will soon be awarded to a contractor.
“Those were not given focus and attention before, according to hospital chiefs,” Diaz stated, noting that layers of hierarchy previously acted as a deterrent to transmitting crucial ground information to top leadership.
To complement this, a unified Patient Information System has been deployed across provincial hospitals.
With information technology (IT) systems now in place, patients can be instantly identified across any provincial facility, allowing medical staff to access immediate medical histories rather than relying solely on manual referrals.
He added that in line with the mandates of the Universal Health Care Act, the provincial government is also scaling up its One Hospital Command framework.
Diaz recently met with the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) leadership, led by Dr. Joan Cerrada, to integrate the province’s IT network directly into CLMMRH’s Patient Navigation System.
The provincial government had also expanded its 911 emergency response teams for both rapid emergency response and proactive community health services.
To build a sustainable workforce, the provincial government is fully funding emergency medical technician training for 60 responders.
The intensive three-month program allows trainees to undergo schooling in the afternoons while actively maintaining emergency coverage in deployed areas using provincial ambulances and response units. | GPB
