12/26/2018 Know your hospital: A guide to getting the best care

HEALTH AND SELF

Know your hospital: A guide to getting the best care

Use this checklist before your checkup

Jason Tulio @JasonTulio

Published 5:36 PM, January 19, 2016
Updated 5:36 PM, January 19, 2016

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More than any other device today, the

smartphone is the gateway to our
digital selves.

But what exactly makes a phone

worthy of your attention? What
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12/26/2018 Know your hospital: A guide to getting the best care

MANILA, Philippines – Your health and well-being should always be your top priority. Getting proper medical care
not only bene ts you and your family, but also the country – expert case studies show that a nation-building effort
won’t succeed unless proper attention is given to the population’s overall health.

According to the Department of Health's (DOH) Undersecretary Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go, the quality of medical
More than any other device today, the X
care in the Philippines has evolved signi cantly.
smartphone is the gateway to our
digital selves.
He explains, “If you look at the way our hospitals are conducting and giving services compared to a decade ago,
But
we have come a long way. Many of our hospitals, in fact, are providing what exactly
excellent clinical makes a phone
healthcare services.”
worthy of your attention? What
features do you believe define a
These services include doctor consultations, disease and injury treatments, surgeries, hospital con nement,
good phone? Let us know by
patient education, and preventive advocacy campaigns.
answering the survey below.

To get the best kind of care, you need to know the basic facts about hospital and clinic standards. Here are a few
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to keep in mind.

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12/26/2018 Know your hospital: A guide to getting the best care

Hospital or clinic?
X

First, determine whether the facility is a hospital or a clinic. According to the government’s Hospital Licensure Act,
a hospital is a 24-hour facility that’s devoted to the diagnosis, treatment, and care of people suffering from
illnesses, diseases, or injuries.

A clinic, on the other hand, only deals with people on a limited outpatient basis. However, if a clinic has 6 or more
beds or bassinets used for 24-hour care, then it would be considered a hospital, too.

By law, all hospitals are required to provide or sell pharmaceutical products approved by the Food and Drug
Administration on-site. These pharmaceuticals must be made available for inpatients and administered to their
wards or beds. These medicines must also be accessible to outpatients and the general public.

For outpatient services like basic check-ups and doctor consultations, a clinic will su ce. In case of an
More than any other device today, the
emergency, or if you need further treatment, it is best to go to a hospital. X
smartphone is the gateway to our
digital selves.
Know the right classi cation
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12/26/2018 Know your hospital: A guide to getting the best care

In the Philippines, hospitals fall under 3 different levels as set out by DOH guidelines.

Level 1 is the most basic. According to Dr. Hartigan-Go, hospitals under this bracket don’t require intensive care
units (ICU), and cater to patients who need minor care and supervision.

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If there's a need for a referral, a patient can go to a Level 2 hospital. A Level 2 hospital contains all the elements of
features do you believe define a
Level 1, as well as additional facilities like an ICU for critically ill patients and specialist doctors for gynecology and
good phone? Let us know by
pediatric services.
answering the survey below.

If you need a high-level specialty intervention like physical rehabilitation or dialysis treatment, then you go to a
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Level 3 hospital.
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12/26/2018 Know your hospital: A guide to getting the best care

Some hospitals also serve as training facilities for nurses and doctors. Regardless of classi cation, all hospitals
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need to have emergency room services.

Quantity and quality of staff

Good facilities should go hand-in-hand with excellent hospital staff.

In government hospitals, the head doctor or Chief of Hospital must have a Master’s Degree in Hospital
Administration or a related degree. It's necessary, Dr. Hartigan-Go says, because hospital management is unique
from general operations management. "It’s a different concept. Running a hospital requires serious training
because we are talking about saving precious lives, so it is not merely clinical expertise that is needed,” he adds.

In terms of managing workloads, DOH guidelines require 1 staff nurse for every 12 beds on a shift, plus 1 reliever
for every 3 nurses. There should also be 1 doctor assigned for every 20 beds.
More than any other device today, the X
smartphone is the gateway to our
Beyond academic backgrounds and clinical titles, Dr. Hartigan-Go adds that the ever-evolving nature of medicine
digital selves.
means that hospital staff must undergo regular training to keep their skills up-to-date.
But what exactly makes a phone
“Every 3 years, medical knowledge is estimated to change and thereworthy of your
is a turnover attention?
of health What
personnel. In order to
features do you believe define
keep up, we need to invest in our valued human resources and continuous professional education,” he says. a
good phone? Let us know by
answering the survey below.
Observe and discuss

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12/26/2018 Know your hospital: A guide to getting the best care

Whatever hospital you choose, the level of care, the quality of the facilities, and the service of the staff should be
consistent. For Dr. Hartigan-Go, a patient’s assessment of any hospital should be based on their own observations
and experiences, using the basic essentials of medical care and the DOH guidelines as a checklist.

Dr Hartigan-Go says: “Basically, what you expect from a hospital would be what the facility should be doing and
providing if you were the patient. You want a clean place. You want e cient customer relations service. You want
clarity in terms of where to go and what services are being provided, and the cost. You want friendly, courteous
doctors and nurses who explain things well to you and to your family members.”

To help improve our country’s medical care industry, Dr. Hartigan-Go recommends sharing your personal
observations and experiences in a public discussion.

With the DOH’s recently launched Hospital Advisor online tool, patients can now locate, review, and interact with
the different hospitals and healthcare facilities in the country. The bene t of this platform is that all hospitals can
also now promote their services and interact directly with patients toMore
improve
thantheir
anydelivery of care.
other device today, the X
smartphone is the gateway to our
digital
Like a “Facebook for hospitals,” Dr. Hartigan-Go and the DOH hope that thisselves.
new tool will empower Filipinos’
discussion on health, and create a collaborative environment for the improvement of health systems and health
But what exactly makes a phone
care providers across the country. – Rappler.com
worthy of your attention? What
features do you believe define a
good phone? Let us know by
answering the survey below.

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12/26/2018 Know your hospital: A guide to getting the best care

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We want to tell you stories that matter and shape smart conversations. But it hasn't been easy.
As we speak truth to power and strive to keep our independence, we are constantly attacked
through intimidation, lies and legal cases. Help us continue our work and remain an
independent voice in a sea of propaganda.

SUPPORT!

Hospital Advisor aims to bridge the gap between the Department of Health, the hospitals, the healthcare professionals, and
the patients to provide a seamless experience in the prevention, treatment, and curing of illnesses. One of the goals of this
innovation is to empower the people in making better and informed health choices to achieve better health outcomes for
every Filipino.

Visit Hospital Advisor online.

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EUROPE

Dengvaxia sale approved for dengue-endemic areas in Europe

Sano 's vaccine is known to prevent the dengue virus in individuals who have been affected previously, but poses
more risks for those who have not been infected before immunization

Rappler.com
Published 3:43 PM, December 20, 2018
Updated 3:43 PM, December 20, 2018

More than any other device today, the X

smartphone is the gateway to our
digital selves.

But what exactly makes a phone

worthy of your attention? What
features do you believe define a
good
DENGVAXIA. The world's rst anti-dengue vaccine is approved for use in European phone?
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MANILA, Philippines – Sano 's Dengvaxia may have raised fears in the Philippines, but European countries have
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12/26/2018 Know your hospital: A guide to getting the best care

The European Commission on Wednesday, December 19, granted marketing authorization for the Dengvaxia
vaccine, following the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use's X
recommendation to approve its use in European endemic areas in October.

In Europe, Dengvaxia will be available to prevent further infections in individuals aged 9 to 45 years with a
documented prior dengue infection and who live in endemic areas.

“In some of the European overseas territories where dengue recurs regularly, people who have had a dengue
infection previously are at risk of being infected with the virus again,” said Su-Peing Ng in a release.

Su-Peing is the global medical head at Sano Pasteur, the vaccine unit of Sano .

“As the second infection with dengue tends to be more severe than the rst, it is important to be able to offer
these people a vaccine that could help protect them against subsequent dengue infections,” she said.

The controversial Dengvaxia vaccine is known to prevent dengue virus infections in individuals who have had prior
infections, but poses more risks for those who have not been infected before immunization.

Sano issued a warning about this in November 2017, leading to shock and fear among Filipino parents, health
workers, and government o cials, as a school-based dengue immunization program was launched in April 2016.
(READ: POST DENGVAXIA CONTROVERSY: Paving the way forward for vaccines, health care)

As of September 2018, out of the 154 children who died after receiving at least one dose of the dengue vaccine in
the Philippines, 19 contracted the dengue virus. However, there is no evidence on whether it was the vaccine itself
that caused the deaths.

The Dengvaxia controversy has posed many problems for the Department of Health, which is now working to
recover public trust while preparing for the introduction of the Japanese Encephalitis vaccine in 2019 and for the
implementation of the universal health care law.

Ten other countries have approved the commercial release of the vaccine: Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand. – Vernise Tantuco/Rappler.com
More than any other device today, the X
smartphone is the gateway to our
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digital selves.

But what exactly makes a phone

worthy of your attention? What
features do you believe define a
good phone? Let us know by
answering the survey below.

Sure!

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