Eye Opener
Western Visayas Medical Center today
Who says that doctors, PGIs, JIs, nurses, personnel and guards at the Western Visayas Medical Center in Mandurriao this city are not attentive and caring to their patients? In my interview with parents and guardians of patients in the hospital and my own observation during a visit with a sick kin, I witnessed how efficient and understanding are the doctors, interns, nurses, guards and utility personnel. Men assigned to unload critically-ill patients from ambulances coming from interior towns of Iloilo are promptly whisked away to the emergency room.
I think that the most effective and considerate office inside the hospital is the PhilHealth billing office under the headship of Baby Theresa B. Lupo who has only seven employees but prompt in processing papers of outgoing patients. Belen Ambulong and her companions are appreciated by the paying public as they honestly collect payment for hospital bills. If a poor patient approaches Baby Lupo and mercifully asks for review of her bill, the PhilHealth incharge smilingly acceded to the request and the poor patient leaves happy and contented.
In the St. Jude Psychiatry Ward, the patients are delicately handled by the doctors, interns and nurses. The patient's watchers are treated couteously and even the guards greet the guardians politely. Dr. Philiph L. Quitco, the one incharge of the Psychiatry Ward is very approachable and understanding. Dr. Ali Robles, Dr. Donaldo Nicanor Tugbang and Dr. Elna Lindero are likewise perceptive and charismatically caring to their patients and their guardians. PGI Aaron Rabanes who usually attends to parents/guardians when other doctors are off duty, is also accommodating and caring. The Junior Interns (JI) who are left with the patients and parents most of the time lend an ear to the parents' problems and are to be commended for the services well done. Marc Lopez is a junior intern whom parents and patients admire strongly is a good looking young doctor intern who can qualify as a movie actor as Marc is dependable and helpful at all times. This columnist loves to ask him questions and he answered queries patiently and smilingly. The amiable and ever-smiling Jenny Sisnorio, angel face Christy Lamanosa, sweetie Joan Santuyo, lovely Rachel Ann Tuando and graceful lady Grace Guyong who are all junior interns will soon become Post Graduate Interns (PGIs) and are looking forward to the challenges of fulltime doctors and will no doubt choose debonaire doctors to be their life partners. Kudos to all of you and may our loving God richly bless you all.
Dr. Jose Mari C. Fermin, the hospital director, I was told manages the government hospital with utmost respect and courtesy to all patients, rich and poor alike. He has reportedly improved hospital facilities and has instructed all hospital personnel to be courteous and polite to all people needing help from the hospital or just visiting it. Some patients and parents whom I talked with said that there are still a number of improvements to be made in this government hospital and the five congressmen of Iloilo including the lone district of Iloilo City whose sick constituents take refuge in the hospital particularly the poor should apportion their countryside development fund to the Western Visayas Medical Center to make it responsive to the needs of the sick.