CLMMRH Partners with Private Hospitals for Emergency Services During ER Renovation

The Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) has partnered with six private hospitals in Bacolod to ensure uninterrupted emergency care for the community during the three-month renovation of its emergency room (ER) services starting September 28. The partnership aims to optimize patient care and ensure that critical cases are swiftly and appropriately managed. The CLMMRH will establish a temporary ER with 18 beds at the Outpatient Department waiting area and utilize private hospitals for patient prioritization and management.

Key Takeaways:

• The CLMMRH has entered into memorandums of agreement with six private hospitals in Bacolod to formalize the collaboration, including Dr. Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital (Riverside Medical Center, Inc.), The Doctor's Hospital, Bacolod Adventist Medical Center, South Bacolod General Hospital and Medical Center, Bacolod Queen of Mercy Hospital, and Metro Bacolod Hospital and Medical Center.
• The partnership will utilize the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale to prioritize patients, with categories I to II and trauma cases receiving priority, while stable cases will be redirected to partner private hospitals when capacity is exceeded.
• Patients referred from community health centers, private hospitals, or emergency medical service will be managed through the CLMMRH Operations Center.
• The CLMMRH will cover costs of emergency services for patients referred through the coordinated system, but subsequent admissions in private hospitals will not be covered by CLMMRH.
• PhilHealth benefits will apply to eligible patients, alongside mandatory discounts for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
• Additional funding support will come from CLMMRH income.

Statistics:

• The renovation project will cost PHP92 million and will take approximately three months to complete, with the possibility of an additional month for exterior works.
• The temporary ER will be established at the Outpatient Department waiting area with 18 beds.
• There will be four to five holding areas at the Mother and Child Building with 45 to 50 beds.
• The bed tracker system, ER Consortium Monitoring System, will be used to match patients to available beds in CLMMRH or private hospitals.

Sources:

• "(CLMMRH) taps private hospitals to assist during ER closure," Philippine Star, September [no date mentioned]
• Press conference by Dr. Joan Cerrada, medical center chief of CLMMRH, on September 20
• Statement by Shareen Caelian, CLMMRH finance service chief, on September 20