St. Luke's Medical Center: A look at the future of healthcare

MANILA, Philippines - The recently inaugurated 629-bed St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) at Bonifacio Global City built at the cost of P9 billion surpasses all preconceptions of what a hospital should be. Surely, the primary requisites of highly qualified medical professionals, excellent clinical care, and top-notch medical and diagnostic equipment are in place. But with the addition of world-class design by RR Payumo and Associates, an important collection of Filipino art, and painstaking attention to its clientele’s convenience and comfort, the facility sets new standards for the health industry in the region

“This is the future of healthcare,” says Dr. Joven Cuanang, medical director and senior vice president for medical affairs. “Our goal is to be one of the preferred destinations in the world. We benchmarked against the very best medical centers in the United States, Europe, and Asia for excellence in clinical outcome and delivery of care. The whole gamut of services that we offer encompasses health promotion, disease prevention, curative phase, and rehabilitative medicine.”

 To promote quick and accurate diagnosis, the hospital has invested in the latest high-end technology. State-of-the-art diagnostic equipment include the Philips 3 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging System and a 256-Slice Computed Axial Technology (CT) Scanner. In addition, devices such as an Extra Corporeal Shockwave Myocardial Revascularization System (ESMR), Prone Breast Biopsy System, and Automated Breast Volume Scanner empower physicians to give patients the best medical care.

“St. Luke’s Medical Center president Jose Ledesma is very passionate about being up-to-date with the latest technology,” confirms Dr. Cuanang. “In the Philippines, we are the leader in this particular field. I daresay that we are, in fact, better in terms of technology than 95 percent of all hospitals in the United States.” Adding that the same cutting-edge equipment is available locally only at the St. Luke’s Hospital in Quezon City, he quips, “We compete with ourselves.”

   As an institution accredited by the Joint Commission on International Accreditation, the world’s most prestigious accrediting body for international healthcare organizations, St. Luke’s has its fair share of medical tourists. Dr. Cuanang estimates that five to eight percent of patients at the St. Luke’s Hospital in Quezon City come from abroad. Still, he emphasizes, “The more important aspect is serving our own countrymen. There is no need for Filipinos to go abroad for medical concerns because here is a hospital that can offer the same services, the same expertise, and the same level of customer care. Without the need for foreign travel, cost of care is significantly reduced.”

 Perhaps, however, what sets St. Luke’s Medical Center above other healthcare organizations is its resolve to achieve excellence in customer care. This is developed using the Four Seasons template for luxurious service, so that the entire hospital staff is even more attentive towards maintaining efficiency and a pleasant hospital environment. “We train all our people, from the security guards to the cleaners — to be customer care officers. Our aim for both St. Luke’s hospitals is to give our patients a delightful experience even if, or especially because, they are sick.” With 60 customer care officers on call to attend to the patients’ various needs, the institution seeks to establish life-long relationships based on dependability and trust.

“We are very passionate about maintaining quality.” This is the rationale for the hospital’s Center for Quality and Patient Safety. To keep up with the latest world standards, eight senior staff members were sent for courses at the Institute of Healthcare Improvement in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “We adhere to international patient safety codes.”

 For even more comfortable hospital stays, patients at St. Luke’s in Bonifacio Global City are provided computers with free Internet connection in their suites, 24/7 concierge service, an area designated for shopping and dining, a grand lobby, landscaped decks, and even a piano bar. While individual suites are tastefully furnished, patients who are especially particular about luxurious accommodations can be ferried to the hospital by helicopter and stay in the 157-square-meter presidential suite that goes for P50,000 a night.

However, most impressive was the Bonifacio Global City hospital’s vast collection of Filipino art. During our quick tour of the facility, we took careful notice of sculptures by Ramon Orlina and Daniel dela Cruz, paintings by Bencab, Angel Cacnio, Elmer Borlongan, Jose John Santos, and photographs by Wig Tysmans. There are numerous artworks that still need to be displayed and Cuanang has taken it upon himself to find places in the hospital for these.

 “My greatest gratification is that the patients get well and that they are happy with the service,” says the neurologist who regularly spends 12-hour work days for clinical practice and administrative duties. “Why do I put up paintings in the walls of St. Luke’s? My philosophy is that you must take extra effort to make the environment in the hospital setting delightful. This hospital, after all, is a showcase of the best in healing and the arts. As a center for excellence in the medical arts and the finest in Filipino art, we are creating a destination that will be the embodiment of the best in the Philippines.”

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For inquiries, call St. Luke’s Medical Center in Bonifacio Global City at 789-7700.