Hospital administrators vow: No more hospital holiday
ROXAS CITY – Officials and members of the Philippine College of Hospital Administrators, Inc. (PCHA), composed of public and private hospital administrators, vowed that they will not resort to a ‘hospital holiday’ in protest of approved legislations disadvantageous to hospitals.
Mr. Carlos M. Brion, PCHA board of director, said that the association will not resort to “hospital holiday” which might hamper health services to the hospital patients.
The group dubbed as disadvantageous on their part the passage of Cheaper Medicines Act and the Republic Act 9439 otherwise known as “An Act prohibiting the detention of patients in hospitals and medical clinics on grounds of nonpayment of their hospital bills or medical expenses.”
Last year, the Private Hospital Association in the Philippines (PHAP) threatened to conduct a hospital holiday once the government strictly implements the Cheaper Medicines Law. They believed that Cheaper Medicines Law may affect the income of pharmacies inside the hospitals.
PHAP also asked the government to be flexible in the implementation of Cheaper Medicines Act since the old price of the medicines purchased from the drug companies should be exempted.
In a press conference held yesterday at the CEH centennial building board room, Lerio said that the association is studying the impact of the newly implemented laws: the Cheaper Medicines Law and the anti-illegal detention of patients in the hospitals.
“Hopefully, government should consult us on the implementation so that the fine tuning of the law will be done as it will benefit the hospitals, patients and the government,” Lerio added.
The PCHA consensus revealed that since the implementation of the two laws, they urged legislators to pass a law that will subsidize the hospital bills of indigent patients.
Sister Janneth Grabato, Our Lady of Peace Hospital administrator, a charity hospital in Parañaque City suggested that the government should subsidize indigent patients.
She also complained that several months ago, the hospital which she managed has not yet been paid by the government agencies concerned like Philippine Charity Sweepstake (PCSO).
Meanwhile, PHAP through its executive vice president Dr. Jessie Contreras is conducting today a symposium with the theme: “Sustainability of the health care industry: A continuing challenge.”
Present during the press conference were: Dr. Evangeline Morales, PCHA PRO, Sr. Norma Guevarra, DC, MHA; Dr. Antonio Chang, MHA, CEH employees and the local media.
Activities for today’s symposium are: 8 – 9 a.m.: welcome remarks delivered by Lerio; Contreras, introduction of guest speaker who is Gov. Victor Tanco, Sr.; and 9 – 10 a.m and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. is the plenary session.