CCMC receives Level 2 rating

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) has received a Level 2 accreditation from the Department of Health (DOH) for attaining better service capabilities as a healthcare facility.

Based on the copy of the CCMC Level 2 license provided by the city’s Public Information Office (PIO), DOH-7 Director Dr. Jaime Bernadas issued the license last August 22, 2022 by authority of the Secretary of Health, which is currently held in capacity by Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire.

The Level 2 license numbered 07-039-22-225-H2-1 is valid until December 31, 2022, subject to renewal.

In a report by the PIO, CCMC Administrator Sonia Empinado said that the hospital earned the upgraded license for now having a capacity of 225 beds, which is way above the 100 minimum.

Empinado added that the city hospital also now operates an intensive care unit (ICU) with 10 beds and an ambulance, both also accredited by DOH.

Dr. Anton Oliver Reposar II, the acting chief of hospital, said that CCMC, even if its construction is yet finished, could now manage critical patients, both pediatric and adult, especially at its ICU.

“We can manage specialty cases, such as stroke, myocardial infarction (heart attack) and pulmonary cases,” said Reposar.

He also said that the outpatient department (OPD) is now able to handle specialty cases and has a separate dental clinic.

Reposar and Empinado disclosed that for the CCMC to achieve the Level 2 status, it has departmentalized with at least three departments now holding accreditation from established medical organizations.

These are General Surgery, by the Philippine Society of General Surgeons, Inc.; Pediatrics, by the Philippine Pediatric Society, Inc.; and Internal Medicine, by the Philippine College of Physicians.

Reposar added that having a functional respiratory unit was significant for CCMC to get the Level 2 accreditation.

The hospital further operates ophthalmology and anesthesia units, and maintains three pulmonologists as consultants.

Over the past three weeks, part of Mayor Michael Rama’s “investment begging” mission was to look for resources for the CCMC’s completion, wherein he got pledges that should now amount to P1 billion.

The current CCMC structure has seven floors with its first three floors already operational.

The city spent P566 million for Phase 1 of the construction, P300 million for Phase 2, and P100 million for Phase 3.

The contractors of the project’s three phases are C.E. Padilla, BF Garay Construction, and Charlz Construction.

The construction of the fourth phase, with an allocation of P917 million, started April this year with M.E. Sicat Construction.

It was Rama, who was mayor in 2014, who ordered the old CCMC building demolished after it incurred massive damage during the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Central Visayas in 2013. Construction of the new CCMC building began in 2015. – JMD (FREEMAN)