DOH: Deficiencies hamper upgrading of Toledo hospital

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Health cited several deficiencies that may hamper the upgrading of Toledo City General Hospital into a level 1 category.

Although in its State of Local Governance Report of 2012, City Local Government Operations Officer Gloria Pacampara said that the overall quality of the local health system deserves a second look because the performance falls short in certain aspects.

“The principal support system on this matter is the Local Health Board. It might have to do more,” Pacampara said.

Hearing the said report, mayor-elect John Henry Osmeña agreed with the remarks of the Department of Interior and Local Government that a lot of work needs to be done with regards to the hospital services.

Osmeña said that vice mayor-elect Antonio Yapha Jr., who is a doctor by profession, told him that the Toledo City General Hospital “is not a hospital but a lying-in (clinic).”

Yapha said that following the report of the DOH, he has to talk to the hospital personnel.

“We have still have very very plenty of things to do before we can upgrade it into level one hospital,” Yapha said.

One thing Yapha cited is to change the structure that would conform with DOH standards.

Earlier this year, the DOH conducted inspection at the hospital based on the Administrative Order 2012-001, or the Rules and Regulations Governing the New Classification of Hospitals and Other Health Facilities in the Philippines.

In terms of service capability, it was found out that the organizational chart was not updated; charts have signed consent but the names of patients were not written; not all charts have patient's history; no progress notes; medication not properly documented; no policy on infection control and for safe reuse of items in compliance with relevant statutory requirements, among others.

They also noted the lack of personnel particularly the absence of an accounting clerk, accountant, bookkeeper, human resource management officer, training officer, social worker; and no standard operating procedures on housekeeping, security, nutrition and dietetics while the pharmacy is also not available.

There is also a lack of equipments and instruments while others are non-functional.

Also cited were the lack of maintenance area, no counseling area, no dining area, lack of toilets, no hand washing facility and other physical plant.

The DOH recommended to comply with all the standards and requirements using the New Assessment Tool Kit for Level 1 Hospital category. (FREEMAN)