100 YEARS OF HAPPY CLIENTS
AS with any other institutions and establishments, the feedback of the clients will determine how long the institution will last.
As for Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), their 100 years of service is reflective of the quality of services rendered to their patients. If it weren't for the satisfaction guaranteed by the patients from the hospital, SPMC may not be how it is right now.
Sun.Star Davao talked with a few of these patients who experienced first hand the medical services provided by the hospital exactly as how their loved ones needed.
Romeo B. Atacador, Sr. is a single father looking for financial means to cure his son of his Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), a heart condition. His son, his junior, was diagnosed of VSD when he was eight years old.
Atacador Sr. learned about Philhealth's Z Package, which gives discount for operation of VSD patients who are 10 years and younger. In the entire Davao Region, SPMC is the only accredited hospital that caters to the Z Package of Philhealth.
"It was a really big help for us. The doctor told us had we not availed of the package, we could have spent P500,000 to P600,000. I was able to apply for 0% payment with our indigency certificate. It was approved and I didn't pay a single cent for my child's operation," shared Atacador in the vernacular.
Now, he said his son feels more energetic compared to when he was still sick with VSD. After the successful operation, they are only asked to come back for monitoring of the boy's condition.
VSD is a heart condition that has a growing number of cases from 13 recorded patients in SPMC in 2015 to 25 in 2016. As of June 2017, the number has reached 21.
SPMC, being a hospital whose service is sought by patients from different regions in Mindanao, is also focused on helping patients who are far from home especially those whose medication would need a longer stay in the hospital like the cancer patients.
House of Hope, is a halfway home dedicated for pediatric cancer patients who live far away from Davao City. They are allowed to stay in the home for as long as their medication allows them to.
Concordia Lovete is the mother of Maria Joana, a four-yearold girl who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2014. Their family hails from Butuan City.
According to Lovete, House of Hope had been a great help to them especially that they don't know of any relative when they came to Davao City for Joana's treatment.
Her leukemia required them four cycles of chemotherapy with 15 to 28 days interval each. But during these intervals, Joana would catch colds and fever since her immune system is compromised, which would extend the next cycle of chemotherapy.
"During those times that she's sick, House of Hope had been our home. I have five children left in Butuan but I had no choice but to leave them to their father because I have to be here for Joana," Lovete said.
Aside from the residential space that House of Hope provides, she said sometimes during their financially tight moments, personnel of House of Hope would extend monetary help for medicines on top of the emotional support given by the other parents.
In between the four cycles of Joana's chemotherapy sessions, which lasted for years, Lovete said they would go home to Butuan to give space for others who would need it and come back again in time for the next chemotherapy session.
Now, Joana has completed her entire sessions and is only required to come back every 3-6 months for monitoring.
"With our stay here in Davao, we discovered we have a relative in Buhangin. Since Joana has already started her kindergarten here in House of Hope, we will stay at our relatives in Buhangin while she finishes her studies at House of Hope and then we will go home to Butuan," Lovete said.