DAVAO ORIENTAL— New health care services are now accessible to the public at the Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center (DOPMC) following the launching and inauguration of new equipment and facilities during its 48th Founding Anniversary celebration on July 31, 2019.
Dr. Reden R. Bersaldo, DOPMC’s Chief of Hospital, led the launching of the Ophthalmology Program as well as the blessing of the new private ward and equipment at the facility’s diagnostic wing.
The Ophthalmology Program, says Dr. Bersaldo, prioritizes patients with cataract. Services being rendered ranges from free consultation, laboratory exams, up to operation, including the medicine. Conducted every Thursday, the ophthalmology program was first opened to public in September 2018. Dr. Bersaldo said the patient only has to be enrolled to PhilHealth to avail of the program and take advantage of the new equipment for the free cataract surgery. “The new equipment for the ophthalmology program has already arrived,” he said.
Through the directives of Governor Nelson Dayanghirang, scores of developments have already been implemented at the DOPMC under the leadership of Dr. Bersaldo who has been serving as the Chief of Hospital for around one and a half year.
Among the welcome development are the fully air-conditioned private rooms which are now ready for public use. A total of 13 rooms at the Pay Ward are now also fully functional. The Pay Ward has a total of 26 rooms, with the remaining 13 rooms targeted to be opened before the year ends.
“We are only awaiting the furnishings of the other rooms. So, we already have accommodations for the patients who can afford a private room, if they want to be comfortable,” he said.
The blessing of the new equipment which include the CT-Scan, Ultrasound, Mammogram and Digital X-Ray at the DOPMC’s Diagnostic Wing was also conducted.
Dr. Bersaldo said the new equipment were acquired by the hospital through the Facility Enhancement Program of the Department of Health (DOH) and “through the efforts of the Provincial Health Office headed by Dr. Herminigilda Nartatez.”
In addition to this, the hospital is now accredited by the Philippine Association of Family Physicians as a training hospital for family medicine. It has also been chosen as a recipient of both the residency deployment program, and the medical residency rotational strategy of the DOH, he said.
New Equipment Expected to Arrive
Hoping to address the ever-growing demand at the hospital, Dr. Bersaldo reveals that new machines for the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) are expected to arrive soon. He said this includes the ECG Machine, inflation pump, and ventilators.
“These are already on the bidding process by the DOH. So, we are just following it up,” he said.
Giving solution to the problem on waste disposal is the mechanical shredder which is also expected to be delivered in the coming weeks.
He furthered that “equipment for the dietary, such as fabricated tables and cooking wares will also be arriving soon.”
Improvement of Internal Affairs
Stressing that development within the hospital can only be achieved through a unified workforce, Dr. Bersaldo said that he has established a strategy wherein all employees were given a voice to let out their concerns.
“It’s very important to unify the team because you cannot make forward progress if the team is divided. So, we conducted monthly general assembly for everybody to attend, where they can give out their suggestions, complaints, their opinions. Then I also have monthly committee meeting for all the supervisory and managerial positions, where we plan out everything,” he said.
More than putting in place the unity of the work team, he added that Governor Nelson Dayanghirang “has also secured the future of so many people in this facility by appointing them plantilla positions, raising the salary of our job orders and nurses, allowed autonomy in our operation.”
He said that the number of employees has grown to more than 500 from less than 400 when he took over the position as Chief of DOPMC.
“When I arrived, I added nurses, Medical Technologists, other key positions, at the same time janitors. I also added orderly, those who transport the patients, because we don’t have them before. I added watchmen or the guards who do not just secure our hospital but also see to it that no vendors have entered the hospital premises,” he explained. “Plus, we already have shifting schedules so that the watchmen are on-duty 24 hours,” he added.
Another strategy Dr. Bersaldo has established is the Hospital Management Information System (HOMIS), a computer software which provides ease in transacting hospital bills as it interconnects one office to another.
Aside from this, they have also changed the admission system of patients at the emergency room to make it easier for the patients and the watchers.
Meanwhile, Dr. Bersaldo said the Social Services sponsored by the Office of the Governor, the two district representatives, the city mayor, along with the Philippine Sweepstakes Charity Office, continue to aid the indigent patients of the hospital. Photos by Eden Jhan Licayan
