The Pulse | T2 - 2021 | Pivot by Davao Doctors Hospital

The Official Publication of Davao Doctors Hospital | T2 Issue | 2021

PIVOT!! PIVOT _______

PIVOTING: THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT IN COVID TIMES By: Celso Bernard G. Lopez

EDITOR’S NOTE

Keeping our Foot on the vision.

ilipinos love basketball. Apart from holding our breath, eyes shadowing that ball in the air as it makes its way to the basket, we are, likewise, thrilled for 5 seconds eagerly awaiting the player’s move as he pivots around one foot. Will he make a

pass? Will he make it through the strong defence? Will he dribble? Will he finally shoot that ball? Or will he lift his pivot foot and hear the referee’s decisive whistle? PENALTY!

Even though the pandemic is a battle, not a game, the same rules and principles of pivoting in basketball apply. Will DDH make a pass and relegate its services to others for fear of the dreaded virus? Will it confront the major obstacles and with a brave heart, take on the challenge of caring for COVID patients to the hilt? Will we just dribble and coast along hoping that the pandemic will soon fizzle away? Will we aggressively embark on a strategy that will transform the pandemic into an opportunity rather than a setback? Shall we not anchor our DDH vision, our pivot foot, firmly on the ground? A year and a half have passed since COVID became part of our lives, but DDH remains alive and well. We have been pivoting, traversing the phases of shock and awe to frantic process redesign, infrastructure remodelling, and planning manning contingencies. We have learned many painful lessons and have come to accept the fact that the virus isn’t leaving soon and therefore, we must not only live with it but thrive in it. To thrive, the ability to recognize what works and what doesn’t and the agility to pivot to other possibilities are a must. The 5-second rule also applies. Time is unforgiving and therefore, energy must be accompanied by urgency. From top to bottom of the organization, everyone quickly threw in their time, talent, and tenacity to overcome this challenge of our lifetime. With the new leadership, a new perspective is brewing that is perceived to make the ways of the past pass and the future of DDH certain. PULSE T2 gives us a glimpse of what is in store.

CELIA C. CASTILLO, MD Editor-in-Chief THE PULSE EDITORIAL BOARD PUBLISHER | Celso Bernard G. Lopez EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Celia C. Castillo, MD, FPCP MANAGING EDITOR | Bam Basan-Anino CONTRIBUTORS

PROOFING

THE PULSE is the official quarterly newsletter of Davao Doctors Hospital published by Davao Doctors Hospital. Printed in Davao City, Philippines. Distributed in Mindanao for the medical community, health enthusiasts, as well as select hotels, restaurants, cafes, fitness centers and health establishments. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the Publisher.

Edu Lopez | Katrina Sanchez

LAYOUT & GRAPHICS | Jencynt Chu PHOTOGRAPHY | Cholo Dumlao | Kenn Reginaldo

THE PULSE | August 2021

FOR ADVERTISING & OTHER INQUIRIES Email: pulse@ddh.com.ph Call: (082) 222-8000 loc. 1188

JOIN OUR TEAM! We need writers, artists and photographers. Graphic and written contributions are welcome. COMMENTS? SUGGESTIONS? Email: pulse@ddh.com.ph

PRESIDENT’S VIEWPOINT Hello, DDH!

irst off, I would like to thank everyone for the warm welcome and for introducing yourselves and the hospital milieu through your various roles and functions. It allowed me to quickly get into the run of things and transition readily. I am delighted to be part of DDH and I also welcome you to the Mindanao network of MPHHI hospitals, namely, St. Elizabeth of GenSan, West Metro of Zamboanga, and Manuel J. Santos Hospital of Butuan. Working together, we can grow to become a robust healthcare provider with a wider reach.

I am excited about our organization and its future. Over the coming weeks, we, in the Management Team will revisit our vision, mission, processes, design, and strategic priorities. We will focus on several key projects and initiatives that the hospital will need to undertake and the output of these discussions will then be a linchpin for making strategic decisions for the organization. The current pandemic has made agility necessary and change management an imperative. These are both crucial and exciting times for DDH; we will pivot and act wisely amidst the backlash of this pandemic. The resilience of our doctors, healthcare workers, and employees is truly inspiring. From what I have seen, we have a wonderful team who is passionate about carrying out their duties and embodying our purpose --- caring for Life.

CELSO BERNARD G. LOPEZ President & CEO

DOCTOR’S CHART The Cheetah’s Way

heetahs are large cats that run at breakneck speed of 80 to 128 km/hour. We may speculate that the cheetahs’ speed and agility are the secrets of their hunting success, however, science has proven this concept to be inaccurate. A cheetah starts the hunt by watching its prey like a hawk, calculates, then rapidly accelerates to overrun its prey. In this COVID crisis, guidelines change with the blink of an eye. Information is dynamic which calls for constant change in advisories from WHO, PSMID, DOH, IATF and Mayor’s Office. Like the cheetah, we needed to analyse data, plan the course of action, and implement as quickly as we can.

At Davao Doctors Hospital, we have stayed on course resolutely as we aim to help as many patients as possible. As the cheetah nears its catch, it anticipates possible escape routes. It can quickly devise complex tactics once they see a clear opportunity. Applying these hunting strategies, DDH has learned how to pivot according to data and continues to learn how to change speed, assess, step on the breaks, and make a sudden turns. Hunting is a post-apocalyptic survival skill. Let the cheetahs be our guide. RONALD P. TANGENTE, MD Medical Director THE PULSE | August 2021

COVER STORY

PIVOTING:: PIVOTING

The Essential Ingredient in COVID Times by: Celso Bernard G. Lopez

uly 1, 2021 was the day we celebrated Davao Doctors Hospital’s 52nd founding anniversary. It was an opportune time to look back with deep appreciation to our glorious history and our part in events and accomplishments yet to unfold and be celebrated. Our founders, with their pioneering spirit, brought with them advanced medical specialties and established the first multi-specialty hospital in Davao City in 1969. They introduced groundbreaking medical practices that trail blazed the healthcare landscape in the region. 4

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COVER STORY Since then, DDH has been true to its vision of being the “Unparalleled health institution beyond borders” as it has been the stalwart in introducing many firsts in the state-of-the-art healthcare solutions in Mindanao. Among our milestones were the setting up of the first Cancer Center and Nuclear Medicine facility, the first in Minimally Invasive Surgery , first in Ultrasound, CT, MRI, Echocardiography, Cardiac Cath-eterization ,Cardiac Surgeries, Kidney transplantation, and the first to receive international accreditation as a research facility by FERCAP and as a hospital organization by Accreditation Canada International. These and many more are testimonies of DDH’s unwavering will to give flesh to our vision. We have kept abreast with the times embracing digital transformation of our clinical and business processes and the acceleration of telehealth through the introduction of the MedLifestyle virtual telemedicine platform. We have made communication within our community smooth and efficient through the Doctor’s Portal, Patient’s Portal, E-Voice and E-Health. To go beyond the borders of our main hospital, we have brought healthcare closer to the community though our DDH Dumoy Satellite Out-Patient Facility whose patronage has grown exponentially particularly in the past 2 years. A glorious history is a compendium of victories and struggles, and the current pandemic, the challenge of a lifetime, will mark us as either triumphant or defeated. In order to thrive, we needed to pivot, eye then seize opportunities with single-minded focus to transcend obstacles posed by COVID. In the past 18 months, we have gone beyond the conventional way of rolling out our services by expanding testing services and providing new equipment and drugs relevant to the pandemic. To

address the anxiety over coming to the hospital, the Labn-Go, Heart-n-Go, Xray-to-Go, provided efficient and safe avenues for outpatient diagnostic procedures, thus, complementing the consultations done virtually. The MedExpress medicine delivery met the need of patients who are on lockdown while the Dumoy Out-Patient thrived beyond expectations because of its accessibility. Despite lockdowns, meetings, conferences and educational sessions continued unabated, thanks to Zoom and MS Teams. DDH saw itself as one with the city’s efforts in combatting the pandemic, closely adhering to national and city guidelines and advisories. We provided COVID beds for moderate to critical patients and ensured availability of manpower, drugs and support equipment. DDH volunteered in the government’s vaccination rollout, and in the process, created a highly efficient vaccination team well-prepared to partner with private companies in caring for their employees and their dependents. We intend to inoculate a significant portion of the City’s population before the year ends. “We Care for Life” is not a mere slogan for us. We, at DDH, have resolved that we will thrive in the midst of the crisis and vow to see ourselves stronger and wiser in caring for the people of our community. We seriously intend to play a vital role for our glorious history to shine for the generations to come. Thank you all for being so passionate in carrying out your duties while being true to our vision, mission, and values. _________________________________________________________________ CELSO BERNARD G. LOPEZ is DDH’s President and CEO. He is also the President & CEO for St. Elizabeth Hospital, Inc. (General Santos City), Manuel J. Santos Hospital (Butuan City), and West Metro Hospital (Zamboanga City).

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FEATURES

Nursing on their Toes by: Maria Karina M. Santos

“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” - Albert Einstein

he coronavirus pandemic has truly been a test for us all as individual practitioners and as an organization. In the last year and a half of weathering the storm together, we have come to adapt to these extraordinary circumstances. Our contingency plans and measures have been honed following our collective experiences and the lessons we have learned in managing the prolonged situation. The courses of action we have implemented attest to the resilience of our people and our ability to embrace change. How did Nursing manage itself?

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FEATURES The re-assignment of staff and arrangement of shifts became more complicated but were managed with the goal of maintaining the operational capacity as far as possible. This became even more expedient when DDH opened its doors to COVID patients on top of our Non-COVID cases. Every rotation required a postduty quarantine. That by itself reduced the number of available nurses in addition to those who resigned. Reassigning and working on duty schedules is a never-ending activity.

Staff Rotation

plans have made implementation more efficient. Protocols, process flows and guidelines are continuously developed in real-time based on the feedback of frontliners as well as the latest research. Orientations and trainings for healthcare staff are likewise, continuously conducted. This is always with the objective of instituting best practices and most effective methods of care.

To thrive in our current reality, we have no choice but to be efficient in delivering care. To maximize patient to nurse facing time, we instituted skills mix. Clinical Pharmacists have been deployed in the wards to work on streamlined execution of medication protocols. Ward clerks from administrative areas were deployed in the stations to relieve nurses of clerical responsibilities in order to optimize the nurses’ bedside roles and achieve a 95%

Focus on PatientFacing Tasks

Nursing Service identified st rategic stations and re-arranged patient rooming to maximize teams and avoid duplication of services. Teams were formed to manage COVID-19 cases while the other teams focused on the non-COVIDrelated cases.  Significantly, this move created opportunities for teams to be trained on specific skills and at the same time learn lessons on COVID management.

Strategic Location Po oling

patient-facing tasks.

Close Coordination among stakeholders

C o n s i s t e n t communication and coordination with the Admitting Section, Infection Prevention and Control, Medical Service, Quality Management, and Finance in terms of action

As the COVID situation continues, we remain on our toes. _________________________________________________________________ MARIA KARINA M. SANTOS, RN, MAN, MBA is DDH’S Director for Nursing Service.

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FEATURES

From Back Office to Front Lines by: Caryll M. Bato

eekday mornings at the office used to be slow. I would fix my hair a bit to make myself presentable, sanitize my workspace, boot up my computer, make mental note of my to-do list while fixing myself a steaming mug of instant coffee, all before the clock strikes 8AM. My cubicle was my comfort zone. Those days have come to a halt. These days, my shift at the main hospital starts an hour earlier. As soon as I arrive at the ICU-2, I would immediately don a medical gown, tie my hair into a bun, wrap it with a head cap, straighten my facemask and face shield then huddle up with the nurses to listen to their shift handover. Who would have thought that an admin staff, who possesses zero medical exposure, will be deployed to augment the nursing workforce? The idea for me was unthinkable, until it wasn’t. Evidently, the COVID-19 not only overwhelmed the hospitals but also exacerbated the shortage of nurses. Alas! DDH was not immune to resignations, forced quarantine and sick leaves. On top of this global predicament is the burden of clerical duties carried out by our nurses in between patient care. They are actually spending more and more time away from the patients, stuck in front of the computer, and completing practically non-nursing tasks. This in turn affects their visibility at the bedside. To address the growing problem, the management came up with work realignment– a pivot strategy wherein employees from back offices will be temporarily assigned to the nursing units to provide the much-needed clerical support. Lo and behold, I was in the

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roster. Being a neophyte in the medical field proved to be arduous. The big part of the struggle lies on becoming acquainted with various medical terms and complex procedures. Yet, one thing was certain– I needed to learn and adapt. A week into my deployment, I then started to aid in answering phone calls left and right, encoding requests for medicines and supplies, completing patient’s basic data in the chart, post charges, checking the completeness of the IME and Crash Cart, and processing credit memo, to name a few. As I gradually took over these tasks, the nurses were freed to focus on delivering optimal patientcentered care and not to mention, decrease their risk of burnout. Clearly, the pandemic is far from over. Our healthcare system continues to grapple with the mutating virus and our frontliners need all the help they can get. Clinical pharmacists will now also be deployed in the ward. On hindsight, we have been expressing our gratitude and encouragement to the healthcare workers through social media. Surprisingly enough, the drastic shift in my role allowed me to transform those words into action. Being part of the solution to the nursing shortage gave me the opportunity to show my concern and expressed my gratitude to our frontliners beyond mere words. From the back office to the front lines, I am now one with the multidisciplinary team in enhancing clinical outcomes and ensuring positive patient experience. _________________________________________________________________ Caryll M. Bato is an associate of the Quality Management and Accreditation Department. She is also a regular contributor of The Pulse.

FEATURES

Time Out to Re-organize by: Mirasol B. Tiu

avao Doctors Hospital has always placed a premium on achieving maximum performance. The organizational structure has a considerable impact on the organization’s ability to carry out its strategies and objectives. A well-aligned organization is capable of adapting and realigning as needed. Nowadays, organizational structures tend to change rapidly in order to adapt to dynamic social, environmental, cultural and economic realities. 2021 is another exciting year given the new leadership bringing about change management processes. With this, a new organizational structure was created with the goals of aligning functions, and delineating responsibilities that will result to a more focused organization with a clear line of command and a stronger sense of accountability. The decision makers

have also been expanded to include beyond the execom and senior managers, to middle managers and strategic heads. The new organizational structure will now reflect two major functionalities in Davao Doctors Hospital, namely Clinical Service and Commercial Operations. The Clinical Service consists of those teams that provide direct patient care, whereas Commercial Operations encompasses those tasks that generate revenue and provide support to the Clinical Service Group. With these organizational changes in the works, one thing we’re counting on is the support of the whole Davao Doctors Hospital community. The hospital management strongly believes that these improvements would only be successful if they are wellreceived. ___________________________________________________________________________ MIRASOL B. TIU is DDH’S Chief Operations Officer.

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FEATURES

One with the City by: Jarilyn M. Bastasa

he sweeping challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic are testing the world’s collective resolve. It has pushed even the most advanced health systems to the brink. At Davao Doctors Hospital, one of the prime providers of quality health services, we needed to strengthen and ensure that the essential services are sustained by expanding its capacity. In line with the DOH Administrative Order (AO) No. 2020-0016 calling for all private hospitals to allocate 30% of the authorized bed capacity (ABC) for COVID-19 cases, we needed to expand our COVID room capacity to 75 beds since our ABC is 250. If we do not want to comply, we have to declare a lower ABC which will render us overstaffed with nurses and residents. This decision will force us to reduce the number of our staff at the same time limiting our non-COVID beds. So, we decided to comply. Such expansion of bed capacity involved adding ICU and isolation rooms, installation of negative pressure, oxygen and vacuum pipeline in all patient’s rooms, hemodialysis access in the COVID ICU and most importantly, supplying the necessary manpower

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to make the infrastructure functional. The last is the trickiest challenge because of staff needing post-duty quarantine days, swabbing, and the very real scenario of staff getting sick causing them and all their contacts to go on quarantine. As of the moment, Davao Doctors Hospital is implementing measures to gradually increase the bed capacity in preparation for a possible delta surge. Bed preparation started by opening a new ward (5B) to augment 5A thus rendering the whole 5th floor as COVID Wing. From 2 ICU beds, it was increased to 4. The total expansion is targeted to provide a total of 75 beds with 4 Intensive Care Unit beds and with 4C and Pediatric Ward Unit now also designated as COVID zone. All our efforts are aimed to stand together with our city and nation to tackle what is the greatest public challenge of our generation. Our mission is clear. Our challenge is great. Together, in the fight against COVID-19. ___________________________________________________________________________ JARILYN M. BASTASA is the Assistant Director for Nursing Service.

Understanding COVID-19 Tests by: Paradae R. dela Cruz

ith the pandemic came various terminologies that need to be understood. These include COVID–related tests that Davao Doctors Hospital (DDH) Laboratory offers. There is the Rapid Antibody Test (RAT), Rapid Antigen Test (RAgT), Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) using GeneXpert Machine, and IgG Quantitative for Sar-Cov2. THE RAPID ANTIBODY TEST (RAT) uses a test kit that detects and differentiates IgM and IgG antibodies for Sars-Cov-2 in the blood. This test identifies individuals with recent or prior infections and is not used to diagnose acute Sars-Cov2 infection. The procedure is just as easy as 1-2-3. First, blood is drawn centrifuged to extract the serum. With the test kit, we can have the result available in 30 minutes.

THE RAPID ANTIGEN TEST (RAgT), on the other hand, is a point- of- care test that detects the protein fragments of the Sar-Cov2 virus. Unlike the Rapid Antibody Test, RAgT requires a nasal swab specimen collected from both nostrils. The swab stick will be inserted inside the extraction tube with the buffer solution. The test kit will process 5 drops from the extraction tube. The processing time will take 15 mins. REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION (RT-PCR) for Covid RT-PCR, DDH uses the GeneXpert Machine. GeneXpert is a cartridge-base rapid RT-PCR. This machine detects the RNA that is specific to the virus and can detect within days of infection, even in patients with no symptoms. This test also needs nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabbed samples. Samples will be prepped and loaded on the GeneXpert machine. The sample will be processed by the machine for 45 minutes then results will be available. IgG QUANTITATIVE for Sars-Cov-2 is a blood test that measures the antibody count. DDH uses a Chemiluminescent assay that detects the binding antibodies to Sar Cov2. Who can get tested for IgG Quantitative? Those individuals who may have been exposed or have previous Covid 19 infection, this should no replace virologic testing. For vaccinated person and wanted to know thier anti-body count, but it does not assess for immunity to COVID-19. These procedures are available at our main lab, Lab-N-Go and Dumoy Satellite. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ PARADAE DELA CRUZ is the Assistant Director for Laboratory and Diagnostic Serivces.

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LIFE CHOICES | New Services

Bringing Precision to Radiotherapy: Tomotherapy by: Dr. John Paul F. Abrina

omotherapy has been available in Davao Doctors Hospital since late 2020. The technology has actually been around since the early 1990s but it has only been introduced in the Philippines in the early 2010s. Now, it has finally arrived in Mindanao. Tomotherapy is a both a machine and a way of delivering radiotherapy. It differs from regular linear accelerators (LINACs or radiotherapy machines) because it gives radiation in sequential slices similar to how a CT scan takes images of the patient in a slice-byslice manner. The LINAC rotates around the patient at a constant speed while the treatment beam is delivered. Indeed, one simply needs to lie down comfortable on the couch of our machine while being slowly drawn into the system’s main body. Unlike older LINACs, the Tomotherapy system is capable of intensity modulation radiotherapy (IMRT). In the previous era of 3D conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT), beams of fixed strength or intensity are merely directed at targets or tumors at numerous angles. This is taken up a notch with our current system which is capable of fine-tuning individual radiation beams to better conform to the shape of the targets. Basically, this results in the highest possible dose to the tumor while protecting nearby normal structures. Another feature that sets Tomotherapy apart is the

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integration of CT scan capabilities. The daily CT is used for precision in our daily treatments. This allows for more certainty not only with patient’s positioning, but also the configuration of the internal organs. For example, some treatments may require varying degrees of bladder filling, like in the treatment of pelvic (cervical, rectal, bladder, etc.) malignancies. A CT scan prior to treatment ensures that the bladder position is maintained all throughout the patient’s course of treatment which may range from 25 to as much as 38 days. This is termed as image-guided radiotherapy or IGRT. It is another layer of comfort in the setting of escalating radiation doses. Not surprisingly, clinical evidence has shown a decrease in rates of toxicity with the system. The level of precision afforded by this system gives us Radiation Oncologists more confidence in treating cases requiring large doses of radiation such as lung cancer, head and neck tumors, and prostate and gynecologic malignancies. The system can also be adapted to perform sophisticated treatments like stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) which previously could only be done in bigger centers elsewhere in the country. Indeed, the future of cancer treatment in Davao City is bright. _________________________________________________________________ Dr. John Paul F. Abrina is a Radiation Oncologist and holds clinic at the Dr. Herminio Villano, Sr. Oncology Building. For appointments, you may call his clinic at (082) 222-8000.

LIFE CHOICES | New Services

DDH CARDIAC DIAGNOSTIC CENTER –

T he b es t made e ve n b e t te r by: Katrina M. Sanchez

avao Doctors Hospital – Cardiac Diagnostic Center (CDC) is the biggest private cardiac department in Davao City, offering complete and comprehensive procedures. Recognizing the growing need of the community, CDC’s expansion and renovation has long been planned by the hospital management and its dedicated doctors. With its patients’ safety and convenience in mind, such plan was finally realized in June 2021. Now, CDC opens its doors to more clients. Additional space made room for more accommodation, social distancing, and an efficient traffic flow. All these are geared towards providing our clients and their family with delightful experiences, while receiving quality medical care. The blessing of CDC’s new facility, which also marks its official launching, was held on June 18, 2021. This joyous event was graced by the presence of Dr. Raul Martin Coching (CDC’s Clinical Head), Dr. Ninfa Villanueva (Pedia Cardiologist), Dr. Celia Castillo (Division Head - Systems, Processes and Technology), and Ms. Mirasol Tiu (Chief Operations Officer), together with the CDC staff and clients.

What was known to be the biggest and comprehensive private cardiac department in Davao City was made even better – truly a mark of DDH’s commitment to provide the community a health institution that goes beyond borders.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Katrina M. Sanchez is a Document Control Specialist for the Quality Management and Accreditation Department. She is also a regular contributor of The Pulse.

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LEADERS

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LEADERS

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MEET THE EXPERTS Celso Bernard G. Lopez President and CEO

elso (Oslec) Bernard G. Lopez , DDH’s new President and CEO has more on the ball than one can imagine. He surfs. He flies. He strategizes. He manages. He troubleshoots.

A product of Ateneo de Manila in Management Economics and later of the Executive Masteral Course in Business Administration from the Asian Institute of Management, Oslec proved his worth in the banking and investment industry, and earned the notice of the Metro Pacific Group. His varied engagements with Metro Pacific include serving as COO of beepTM, the contactless integrated ticketing system for Metro Manila’s light rail lines, Chief of Staff to the CEO and Corporate Planning Head of Metro Pacific Investments Inc. (MPIC) performing business development work, most noteworthy of which was the successful bid for the Republic of the Philippines’ Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS). He was then appointed Bid Director of the First Pacific and Ayala Group formed Consortium tasked to lead 6 different Consortium Members, all at the top of their respective fields, in coming up with the best bid and helped them navigate a very complex bid process. Preparing him for leadership in the healthcare industry, Oslec also served as President of The MegaClinic, Inc. and was responsible for making it the outpatient facility the most profitable clinic of the Metro Pacific Group. Currently, he is the Special Projects Director and Head of Business Development for Mindanao of Metro Pacific Hospital Holdings, Inc., in charge of acquiring hospitals, strategic and operations management, growing a chain of ambulatory clinics and pursuing greenfield healthcare projects. Concurrently he serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of St. Elizabeth Hospital, Inc., the 273 bed premier hospital of SOCCSKSARGEN, West Metro Medical Center, a level 2 hospital in the city of Zamboanga and Manuel J. Santos Hospital, a level 2 hospital in Butuan City. With Davao Doctors added to this group, the network of hospitals will be the foremost healthcare provider in Mindanao.

Paul G. Dominguez

Board of Director - Independent Director

n AB Economics graduate from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1970, Mr. Paul Dominguez began his corporate career with the Davao Light and Power Co., Lapanday Agricultural Development Corp. and later as an executive of the Sarangani Agricultural Co., and President of C. Alcantara and Sons, Inc. wood manufacturing company in Mindanao. His extensive management experience in the private sector with concentration on agribusiness, power generation and property development, prepared him for the bigger challenge of public service. During the Presidency of Fidel Ramos, he served as Presidential Assistant for Mindanao and concurrently Chairman of the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo). President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed him as Presidential Adviser for Regional Development and Senior Consultant for Mindanao. During this time, he also served as the Special Envoy to Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia. In these roles, he was tasked to lead and manage multi-sectoral initiatives that accelerated social and economic development in Southern Philippines. He is widely recognized as a leader and catalyst in rallying private sector participation and support in the efforts to address key peace and development issues in Mindanao and nationally. For over three decades, he has served as National Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), and Chair of its Mindanao Regional Committee. Mr. Dominguez maintains a strong personal interest in environmental issues and has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the World Wildlife Fund — Philippines. Mr. Dominguez has received several awards and citations for his public service contributions, including the Presidential Medal of Merit from President Ramos, and the Pro Dei et Patria Award from the Ateneo de Zamboanga University. Mr. Paul Dominguez is the newest independent director of the Davao Doctors Hospital BOD.

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CONVERSATIONS

Exercising Resilience Through Challenging Times by: Jencynt C. Chu

OVID-19 is not just a health issue but an economic one of global proportions. Davao Doctors has not seen a financial downtrend of the magnitude it is seeing now. While other hospitals have folded up and others nearing so, we have folded our sleeves and got down to brass tacks on how to survive and thrive in the midst of the pandemic. “Innovate or evaporate!” can never be truer than today. We interviewed a few figures in the management group to shed light on the survival efforts being pursued. THE PULSE | August 2021

CONVERSATIONS WHAT PRE-COVID SERVICES ARE NO LONGER OR LESS UTILIZED DURING THIS PANDEMIC? Jurilla Tan-Estrelado (Dumoy Satellite Manager) During the start of the pandemic, Mobile Clinic schedules were cancelled due to government restrictions. Our Radiology Department and the Home Care Services were greatly affected in terms of census and revenue since new protocols were put in place limiting the patients we can serve. Some of our doctors and staff were also apprehensive due to COVID-19 transmission. Paradae Dela Cruz (Assistant Director for Ancillary Services) There are a lot of services affected by the pandemic. For Radiology: ex. Barium studies, CT guided biopsies, Angiogram. For Cardiac diagnostics: Pediatric 2d Echo. And of course aerosol generating procedures like endoscopy, nebulization and pulmonary function test. Guicel Dela Cruz (Laboratory Department Manager) The less utilized service during this pandemic is the Home Care Services. We discourage doing home care service for the safety of our patients and as well as our personnel. We don’t know we might introduce infection to them or the other way around. School and corporate annual physical exams were on hold due to suspension of face to face classes and work from home status of employees. Maria Melissa Basan-Anino (Corporate Communications) Our Lay Fora and in-house marketing events were the first ones that were halted due to the restrictions. WHAT STRATEGIES HAVE YOU EMPLOYED TO MEET THE CHALLENGES? Jurilla Tan-Estrelado For the Outpatient Satellite in Dumoy, we introduced new and strengthened current services such as Lab-N-Go, Home Care and MedExpress Delivery. We immediately shifted focus to COVID Testing such as RT-PCR, Rapid Antibody Test and Rapid Antigen Test. For our RT-PCR, we do Home Care, walk in and onsite for our corporate partners. Instead of being immobilized by COVID-19, we maximized our spaces to cater to our patients with symptoms, thus the creation of Pre Screening, Triage, Isolation room, Swab booth and waiting areas. We also optimized our manpower by strategically plotting schedules that will serve all areas including the new posts. Every employee in every department spend extra time in learning triage, new protocols, and educating clients about our new normal services. We have improved the traffic in our parking area and provided area for Lab-N-Go to make it more attractive, comfortable, easy and fast to our clients.

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Paradae Dela Cruz We identified procedures that can be done outside the main hospital premises. In what used to be our parking lot across the ER, we built our Drive through Lab-n-Go for laboratory services. Later we added X-ray and ECG as drive thru services. Soon, we will also have Ultrasound available at the area. Guicel Dela Cruz Lab-n-Go is a one stop shop where you can pay, get blood extraction inside your car and receive results online. Maria Melissa Basan-Anino The first 2 months were a challenge to host any face-toface activities due to the restrictions. We had an “aha!” moment when we observed that there was a spike in the engagement of our social media channels. We took the opportunity to launch the DDH eMedtalk series on our FB page --- effectively shifting the information platform with our doctors giving brief lectures online. HOW DID YOU PROMOTE THESE NEW STRATEGIES? Jurilla Tan-Estrelado We promote it through our social media, flyers and tarpaulins. We closely coordinate with Marketing for our corporate partners. Each employees from Security Guards to Finance Associate hand out flyers and explain the services that we offer for the new normal. We believe that the word of mouth and good customer service work effectively when it comes to promoting our services. We can remember one walk-in patient who experienced a hassle free transaction with us. He brought along his coworkers and that became a precedent for other companies. We also work together with the HR of our nearby partners such as San Miguel Group of Companies and Therma South for their medical needs. Paradae Dela Cruz We coordinate with our Corpcomm to push ads on our Social media. We also promote to our Doctors informing them that their patient can have their blood sampling, specimen drop, x-ray and ECG at our drive thru service. Maria Melissa Basan-Anino We maximize the features of our social media channels. During ECQ, around 80% of our promotions and information dissemination were launched and/or announced on our social media channels. WHAT CHALLENGES IN YOUR NEW STRATEGIES DID YOU ENCOUNTER AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM? Jurilla Tan-Estrelado 1.) When the government needed new facilities to hold

CONVERSATIONS aymptomatic to mild COVID patients ,our new building (Birthing Home & Dialysis Cener ) was converted to a Temporary Treatment Medical Facility. The drop in patient census made our revenue drop deep down due to our clients’ fear of COVID-19 patients housed within our premises. Even our corporate partners were scared to visit our OPD even if it was in a separate building. We were labelled as a “COVID Hospital”. 2.) PPE shortage. Due to the pandemic, PPE suppliers were overwhelmed so we really needed to maximize the use of the PPEs. 3.)The shortage of doctors and other health professionals since the licensure examinations were delayed due to government restrictions. Despite of the fear of COVID-19, we continued to perform our role as healthcare providers more effectively. Paradae Dela Cruz We have encountered a lot of challenges. For the Lab-nGo, at first the road was rough and rocky and the tent was inadequate to protect from sun and rain. We were able to work closely with our facility management group to improve the area. We paved the road and built a better structure. Guicel Dela Cruz Personnel shortage because of numerous resignations of laboratory personnel due to “fear factor” to do swabbing and exposure to possible COVID positive patients. We overcome all these challenges through the support of Administration by implementing programs like I AM HERE for the mental health of the staff. The vaccination helped boost their confidence in performing their tasks. Maria Melissa Basan-Anino The verification of our data sources for all of our digital communications is a challenge. During the height of the pandemic, there was an increasing number of fake news going around social media -- it was a challenge to put out relevant information that is verified by leading experts. The team made it a point to check and verify our sources before we publish them on our official media channels.

WHAT FEEDBACK FROM OUR PATIENTS/CLIENTS HAVE YOU RECEIVED? Jurilla Tan-Estrelado We are overwhelmed by the patients’ and clients’ love during this trying times. Some patients have donated PPE with personal prayer of safety and protection of our healthcare professionals. Some private individuals send us meals to show support and appreciation to us the modern heroes. These are enough for us to find strength and warmth in our hearts. We have also received some negative feedbacks due to the changes of protocols and processes, something unavoidable as we strive to improve and continue to provide the DDH care to every individual that sets their foot in our facility. Paradae Dela Cruz We received a lot patient complaints, like the long waiting time at our drive-thru, and of course feedbacks from our staff assigned there. We take them as a way to improve our process. Due to negative feedback, we were able to improve our drive thru. Now we have 2 lanes for cars and better staff working area. We also received praises from our patients that really make us happy, and give meaning to the services that we give to our patients. It also drives us to think of more ways to provide better service. Guicel Dela Cruz We received several good feedbacks from the patients, complimenting the efficiency of the staff and the convenience they experienced. Maria Melissa Basan-Anino We receive mixed reviews from our digital campaigns--and it is always in extremes. We always take it with a grain of salt and make it a learning experience. We are always open to suggestions, and we do benchmark within and outside the healthcare industry. As they say, digital communication/marketing is a bit tricky to navigate, but it is fun nonetheless.  ________________________________________________________________ CONVERSATIONS, is a part of The Focus Group Discussion Project ( FGD) initiated by CorpComm group. The activity aims to get true narrative from DDH’s management, employees, business partners and patients.

THE PULSE | August 2021

COMMUNITY PULSE

Getting Vaccinated by: Gene Philip T. Ando

or centuries, vaccination has been key to controlling, and even eradicating diseases. As early as the 17th century in China and in 1796 in the West through Dr Edward Jenner, vaccines have since become an important part of the medical armamentarium. COVID-19 vaccines are no exception. The early history in the development of vaccines required human experimentation but with the advent of ethical guidelines in research, the timeline for vaccine development has been long and tedious. However, COVID ravaged the world as a pandemic and time was of the essence. The world is going through a very rough patch and the pandemic would potentially be solved with the help of vaccines. The brand is not even relevant anymore. All vaccines have one aim in common: to prevent the population from perishing from this dreadful virus. I was appointed the vaccination coordinator and I accepted the job. Once, I was interviewed by the management and I was asked why I took the job in the first place. I choked, thinking hard about what to answer. I had to answer honestly and with a dash of wit. After careful thought, I replied “I took the job not for the glory. Heck, this is one of the most challenging moments of my career. It took its toll on my mental, physical and emotional health. It is a new responsibility with concomitant risks.

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I seriously thought of my parents’ safety. The only way I could protect them was for me to get vaccinated, then for them to be vaccinated, next would be my family, then the whole community. Ultimately, ending this long-running pandemic.” Having been fully vaccinated is not all glitz and glamour. I still need to wear my masks and other PPEs. Being fully vaccinated does not guarantee protection from infection, although it guarantees less serious symptoms hence preventing death. Complacency amidst this worldwide problem poses a greater threat. People tend to be complacent just because they have been vaccinated. Some would be very eager to rip their face masks off and live like there is no pandemic. Ending this pandemic would literally be a breath of fresh air. Everyone needs to work together in containing the virus, keeping themselves protected, and having themselves vaccinated. With this in mind, we will live our lives like we used to and have everything back to normal. I am keeping my fingers crossed. ________________________________________________________________ GENE PHILIP T. ANDO, RN, MAN, is DDH’s Vaccination Team Leader.

Specimen

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COMMUNITY PULSE

by: Venz Joseph Gigiuento

hrough the years, Davao Doctors Hospital celebrates its Anniversary with grandeur and vibrant colors . It’s always a splendor, whether it be a week-long celebration or for an entire year. The anniversary celebrates how Davao Doctors Hospital became the hospital we know today. We take time to cherish and relive its memories, its successes, challenges and progress as it strives to deliver excellent quality healthcare service to the city and in the future, who knows, maybe even the entire nation.

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COMMUNITY PULSE

Though things may have been rough lately because of the pandemic, we still found ways to enjoy ourselves, relax, give back, thank, and most especially we still found a way to celebrate DDH’s 52nd Anniversary. The celebration may not have been as grand as in previous celebrations, we were still able to give thanks that DDH is still standing strong as ever. For the 52nd year celebration, we highlighted the value of our employees, for their hard work and daily struggles selflessly providing quality care for our patients. The theme of “Thank You For All You Do”, may be a simple phrase yet it shows how much impact the employees give to DDH. Without the employees, it would not be the DDH we all know today. The Anniversary theme was a way for us to

give back to our employees and express our heartfelt gratitude. There were no motorcades, food parks, gatherings, parties, and fun contests due to the restrictions of Covid-19, but we had a Special Thanksgiving Mass held via Facebook Live, a special meal and special tokens for all our staff. The celebration was simple, nothing grand or vibrant unlike before, but it didn’t matter. We were still able to look back to DDH’s milestones throughout decades, and we were able to focus on what truly matters . To all DDH employees, thank you for all you do! __________________________________________________________________________ VENZ JOSEPH P. GIGUIENTO is a member of the Human Resource Department and serves as HRD’s Employee Relations Associate.

THE PULSE | August 2021

COMMUNITY PULSE

ince March 2021, the Davao Doctors Hospital Vaccination Team have inoculated a total of 11,000+ from different priority groups through the Resbakuna and Corporate Vaccination Partnership Programs.

We continue to work hand-in-hand with our Corporate Partners, the City Government of Davao, and the Department of Health. We remain committed to supporting the Nationwide Vaccination Roll-out against COVID-19 and reach herd immunity, and truly welcome a healthy new normal.

THE PULSE | August 2021

COMMUNITY PULSE

THE PULSE | August 2021

HEALTH TIPS

Freedo m ! Pads to Cups by: Mary Lois S. Madrazo

ccording to wateraid. org, an average woman menstruates once a month for 35 to 40 years, approximately 3,000 days — more than eight years — of periods during her lifetime. At any given time, 800 million women and youth worldwide are menstruating. (Source: https:// www.wateraid.org/us/stories/International-womensday-having-a-period-shouldnt-hold-women-back) After coming across this information, I realized how much money I’ve spent on sanitary pads every month and tried to look for other ways to “bleed better.” Luckily, I have a friend who has been an advocate of menstrual cups for three years now. Like me, she had to pick out special variants of sanitary pads because the regular ones usually irritate her skin. And I kid you not when I tell you that special variants are not cheap. Imagine all the money you have to spend on a piece of plastic just for it to end up in our landfills! It is indeed a luxury because I remember being a student once and prioritizing buying a pad over food. Kaluoy! Never would I want to experience that again. I don’t want another woman to experience anything like that ever, but I know that I had to know what I’m standing for before I could largely influence people. So, with my friend’s experience and after a TON of research, I finally bought my first cup. THE ONE WITH THE PRINCESS EXPERIENCE I bought my menstrual cup through the website of a local brand. Before arriving at which product to purchase, I had to go through the online shops of different brands and skim through list after list. Who knew these cups could come in all shapes and sizes? I had to choose the size that was right for me — most brands have two sizes available: one for those who haven’t given birth vaginally and another one for those who have. I devoured every information available concerning menstrual cups and thought to myself: I’m more than ready — I know at

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least seven types of folds, I’ve seen tutorials on how to take it out, and read blogs about how to care for it and the risks involved when you don’t. When my order finally arrived, I was eager to try it out (or in, rather). It’s recommended that you practice using it before your period starts so that you’re already used to it when the days come. Equipped with superior menstrual cup knowledge (LOL), I prepped and tried inserting it. After an hour or so, I was dripping with sweat, I have tears in my eyes, but the cup was nowhere near inside. I’ve tried every fold possible, but it would not fit. So, I did what people do when faced with adversity — I lied down, accepted my defeat, and cried to myself. I was convinced that I just wasted money on something that I will never get to use. But after my princess moment, I calmed down and decided to try again. I took a few deep breaths to make sure that I was relaxed, and alas, the cup went in. THE ONE WITH THE BEST RED DAYS Getting used to the cup took a while, but it was all worth it. I love using the cup because I like convenience. The fact that it only needs emptying every 10-12 hours is a definite plus for me. I never have to worry about leaks at night or when I’m out. I even get to wear white pants on my 2nd day of period! It’s incredibly liberating. As long as I take good care of it, it can last for more than two years, so it really cuts a huge chunk off my expenses and my trash, too! After using my menstrual cup for more than a year, I became more aware of my anatomy, and I can relay my concerns to my OB-Gyne more comprehensively. Switching to cups was life-changing for me, so I tried looking for fellow Filipinas who are menstrual cup users as well, and I was happy to have found some groups online. The people who run these groups have mainly used cups for more than five years and have thousands of followers. It was inspiring to witness women helping other women – from picking the right cup to maintenance and addressing questions. There are many other sanitary pad alternatives that I didn’t discuss in this article, but If you’ve been wanting to make the switch or are just plain curious about menstrual cups and other alternatives, make sure that you’re looking at suitable sources. I am no expert but should you need someone to point you in the right direction, you know where to find me. *wink* ___________________________________________________________________________ MARY LOIS S. MADRAZO isDDH’s Business Development and Special Projects Officer.

FUN & ENTERTAINMENT

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