Cardinal Santos Medical Center Bags the People-Centered Care Commitment Award and Platinum Seal of Accreditation

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Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC), one of the Philippines’ leading hospitals, bags two international awards, adding to its growing list of accolades.

After an exhaustive re-accreditation process in November 2022 which looked into the hospital’s systems and its commitment to quality, safety and people-centered care, CSMC has been recently honored by Accreditation Canada with two awards: the Platinum seal of accreditation, which is an upgrade from the Gold accreditation level achieved by the organization in 2019, and People-Centered Care Commitment Award, being the first organization in Asia to receive the award.

Accreditation Canada is a not-for-profit organization that works to improve healthcare quality and safety in Canada and around the world, providing accreditation services to healthcare organizations. Its accreditation process includes an extensive evaluation of the organization's policies, procedures, and practices and on-site visits to assess the quality and safety of patient care.

Leveling up to Platinum status and being honored with the People-Centered Care Commitment Award is a testament to CSMC’s dedication to upholding global health standards geared to providing patient and family-centered care as well as consistency in service delivery.

“The Platinum accreditation is the culmination of the work that we have put in over the last three years since we achieved the Gold accreditation. It is a validation of our unwavering pursuit of excellent quality patient care, and a motivator for us to continue to strive for excellence in all that we do.”, Dr. Rosemarie V. Serrano, CSMC’s Chief Quality Officer proudly speaks up, as she looked back on the hospital’s ACI re-accreditation journey.

CSMC’s President & CEO, Mr. Raul C. Pagdanganan, also weighed in on the significance of the People-Centered Care Commitment Award. “At Cardinal Santos, we believe that providing exceptional care is not just about treating the illness, but about treating the whole person. We are thrilled to be recognized by Accreditation Canada with the People-Centered Care Commitment Award, as it highlights our unwavering commitment in providing care that is centered around our patients and their families.”. He further emphasized that “This award is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our staff and healthcare providers, who go above and beyond to ensure that every patient receives the best possible care. We are proud of this achievement and remain committed to delivering patient-centered care with excellence.”

Cardinal Santos Medical Center is also certified Platinum by Investors in People and certified for ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System standards, by SOCOTEC Certification Philippines, Inc.

Shinagawa links partnership with Fujifilm Philippines Inc. to advance preventive care in the Philippines

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 Shinagawa Diagnostic and Preventive Care Center is a subsidiary of Shinagawa LASIK & Aesthetics, the country’s leading Lasik provider

March 23, 2023, MANILA, Philippines – Early detection of diseases can aid in saving lives, giving patients more time to seek effective treatments that help lessen and possibly cure their symptoms. Shinagawa Diagnostic & Preventive Care Center takes this a step further and encourages preventive healthcare by offering more thorough and advanced examinations with the support of Fujifilm Philippines Inc.

(L-R) John Paul Camarillo, Deputy Division Manager of Medical Systems for Fujifilm Philippines Inc., Evan Reyes, Division Manager of Medical Systems for Fujifilm Philippines Inc., Masahiro Uehara, President of Fujifilm Philippines Inc., Masako Uemori, President of Shinagawa Philippines, Raymond Mendoza, MD, DPSP, Medical Director for Shinagawa Healthcare Solutions Corp., Christian Parra, MD, Family Medicine for Shinagawa Healthcare Solutions Corp., and Tahnee Sunga - Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Shinagawa Philippines

Committed to upholding high standard medical services, Shinagawa announces its partnership with Fujifilm Philippines Inc, an expert in prevention and diagnostics technology, in a signing ceremony today at Shangri-La The Fort. Through the collaboration, Shinagawa’s Diagnostic & Preventive Care Center acquires Fujifilm’s endoscopy equipment to conduct advanced testing for the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which includes the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. This helps identify emerging diseases, such as stomach ulcers, gastrointestinal disorders, lung problems, and possibly tumors. The technology eases the detection process as it can spot even the smallest abnormality using endoscopes that place minimal stress on the patient.  

“It is of utmost importance to conduct detailed examinations regularly to find diseases at an early stage, leading to preventive care. In particular, Fujifilm's endoscopy equipment enables early detection of diseases that could not be found in advance by general medical checkups in the Philippines, and we believe this will lead to preventive medicine,” said Masako Uemori, President of Shinagawa LASIK and Aesthetics, Philippines.

Fujifilm Philippines Inc guarantees the prime condition and maintenance of equipment to ensure that all examinations produce in-depth results for more accurate diagnosis. The diagnostics technology company will also be conducting a series of training sessions for Shinagawa doctors and staff to fully regulate the use of the machines, assuring safe and accurate examinations. Through the synergy of Shinagawa’s Japanese-standard medical services and Fujifilm’s innovative healthcare equipment, improved quality of life, diagnosis, and prevention are now made more accessible.

The Shinagawa Diagnostic & Preventive Care will have its grand opening this April. Those who are interested in the center may check out Shinagawa’s official Facebook page @ShinagawaDiagnostic or the official website at www.shinagawa-healthcare.ph to book an appointment. Shinagawa Diagnostic & Preventive Care Center is located at Ore Central Tower, BGC.

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ABOUT SHINAGAWA 

Being the world leader in LASIK and Aesthetic medicine, Shinagawa takes on a new role this 2023 in diagnostic and preventive care. Shinagawa Diagnostic & Preventive Care is the first one-stop medical hub that offers Japanese-standard health services that provide a wide range of diagnostic tests and customizable screenings by globally competitive medical specialists in bringing convenient, efficient, and affordable preventive diagnostic centers. Through this, the company can pursue its commitment to providing “Health and Well-being for All” and heightening prevention awareness among Filipinos to realize that early detection is better than cure.

CSMC President honored with the Accountancy Centenary Award for Excellence

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Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) President and CEO Raul C. Pagdanganan was recently honored with the Accountancy Centenary Award for Excellence by the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy (BOA). The conferment was held at the Manila Hotel on March 17, Friday, in celebration of 100 years of the Accountancy Act of 1923 in the Philippines.

Raul C. Pagdanganan,  Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) President and CEO 

Following the theme “Celebrating the Past, Transforming the Present, Shaping the Future,” the Accountancy Centenary Award was given to 100 of the most excellent certified public accountants (CPA) in the country who ‘demonstrated untarnished integrity and reputation’ and ‘have contributed immensely in the advancement of accountancy profession and national development’.

Pagdanganan finished his Business Administration and Accountancy degree at the University of the Philippines (UP) in 1981 and passed his board exam as part of the top 20 successful takers. He was appointed to the UP Board of Regents 40 years later, in July 2021.

Pagdanganan has accumulated 25 years of experience as a senior finance executive and member of management in different companies, joining CSMC as its President and CEO in September 2020. During this period, he has helped bolster CSMC’s reputation as one of the Philippines’ leading hospitals in the fields of Cardiology, Oncology, Neurology and more, with his efforts commended on numerous prestigious platforms; Pagdanganan’s most recent recognition prior to the Accountancy Centenary Award was the Dangal ng Lipi Award for Health, the highest award given by the provincial government of Bulacan, presented to him in September 2022.

“I’m humbled and greatly appreciative of this recognition given to me by my esteemed colleagues in the field of Accountancy,” said Pagdanganan. “I’m also grateful to the people and businesses who trusted me over the years, especially my Cardinal Santos family. I would not be where I am today without their support.”

For more information about the programs and services that CSMC offers, please visit https://cardinalsantos.com.ph/. CSMC is also on Facebook, like and follow them at www.facebook.com/CardinalSantos.

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals completes a 100 liver transplants in children from the Philippines

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• 44 girls and 56 boys from the Philippines between 4 months and 15 years have undergone a liver transplant at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals
• These procedures mark an important milestone in strengthening relations between India and the Philippines

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi has reached the landmark of performing 100 liver transplants in children from the Philippines. Aged between 4 months and 15 years, children suffering from various diseases that had resulted in liver failure necessitating a transplant have received a liver transplant.

Despite COVID posing several challenges in the last 2 years, Apollo made sure that children and their families were provided end-to-end assistance in terms of aligning travel permissions while also ascertaining patient safety by arranging special charter flights with a medical team on board to manage any emergencies.

Mr. P Shivakumar, Managing Director – Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, asserted: “Apollo Hospitals leads the way in delivering cross-border care for children. Our approach is aligned with Apollo’s overarching objective of providing prompt delivery of healthcare services, notwithstanding myriad constraints. This becomes even more important when it comes to caring for children. We believe there is no greater joy than seeing the smiles of children who have been saved by our timely medical intervention.”

Group Medical Director and Senior Pediatric Gastroenterologist, Apollo Hospitals Group – Dr (Prof) Anupam Sibal, stated: “Apollo Hospitals has been receiving children with liver failure from the Philippines for the last five years. Fortunately, we have been able to help many families from different parts of the Philippines.

We would like to thank families for their trust as we mark the landmark of 100 liver transplants in babies and children from the Philippines. Despite COVID restrictions, we have transplanted 53 children in the last 2 years. The youngest child to be operated on was 4 months. Significantly, babies weighing barely 3.5kgs have also had liver transplants at Apollo Hospitals. Our initiative has been facilitated by the immense support from the Embassies which helped in easing travel formalities for patients. The Apollo Liver Transplant Program, the first successful program in India which was established in 1998 has now performed more than 3950 liver transplants including 458 in children from 20 countries”.

Senior Liver Transplant Surgeon at the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Dr. Neerav Goyal, said, "In liver transplant, surgery is performed when patients have a high risk of dying from their disease in the ensuing weeks to months. Since COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon, many of these patients were unlikely to survive the period of the pandemic without liver transplant, and the patients despite several challenges travelled to us. We are happy that we can help them in easing their pain and provided a new lease of life. In 65% of children, the donors were mothers, in 30 % fathers and 5 % other blood relatives.”

About Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals: 

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, India’s first JCI accredited hospital, is a joint venture between the Government of Delhi and Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited. Commissioned in July 1996, it is the third super-specialty tertiary care hospital set up by the Apollo Hospitals Group. Spread over 15 acres, it houses 57 specialties with more than 300 specialists and more than 700 operational beds, 19 operation theatres, 138 ICU beds, round-the-clock pharmacy, NABL accredited laboratories, 24-hour emergency services and an active air ambulance service. Apollo Hospitals Delhi has the leading programmed in kidney and liver transplant in the country. The first successful pediatrics and adult liver transplants in India were performed at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals. The hospital is at the forefront of medical technology and expertise. It provides a complete range of latest diagnostic, medical and surgical facilities for the care of its patients. The Hospital has introduced the most sophisticated imaging technology to India with the introduction of 64 slice CT and 3 Tesla MRI, Novalis Tx and the integrated PET Suite. Indraprastha Apollo has also pioneered the concept of preventive health check programmed and has created a satisfied customer base over decades. The Hospital has been consistently ranked amongst the best 10 hospitals in India by The Week survey for the past few years.

Hospital website - https://delhi.apollohospitals.com/

Twitter: @HospitalsApollo

Smile Train Expands Comprehensive Cleft Care Services Across Philippines

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Smile Train, the world's largest cleft organization, announced today the establishment of four Comprehensive Cleft Care (CCC) centers across the Philippines to increase accessibility of treatment to cleft-affected individuals and their families.

ARC Hospital in Lapu-Lapu City serving as the first Comprehensive Cleft Care (CCC) in Cebu)

Every day, more than 540 babies are born with a cleft around the world, an ongoing reality that calls for comprehensive solutions to help them overcome challenges and live a happy, healthy life.

For the past two decades, Smile Train has supported more than 64,000 cleft surgeries through its 50+ partner hospitals and organizations throughout Philippines. As the organization marks its 20th anniversary in the country, it is further expanding its services to include nutrition support, orthodontic and dental treatment, and speech therapy in more locations across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

“Smile Train’s goal is to provide those born with a cleft the necessary holistic care beyond their initial surgeries. We will continue to build a network that will bring comprehensive cleft care to Filipinos, so they have the support and the tools they need to overcome any challenge. Through this network and these comprehensive cleft centers, we aim to ultimately provide them the ability to work, play, and live happy, healthy and productive lives,” said Kimmy Coseteng-Flaviano, Smile Train’s Vice-President for South East Asia.

Smile Train’s geographical and programmatic expansion comes as the organization celebrates National Cleft and Craniofacial awareness month this July. Smile Train has launched comprehensive cleft centers at partner hospitals including the Philippine Band of Mercy and Marikina St. Vincent General Hospital in Metro Manila, San Fernandino Hospital in Pampanga, and Mabuhay Deseret Foundation in ARC Hospital in Cebu. At these centers, in addition to surgeries, parents and patients in need can access nutrition counselling and nutrition services, orthodontic treatment, and speech therapy sessions at no cost.

These institutions have served as Smile Train’s partners for years, helping patients from across different provinces and performing thousands of cleft surgeries with the assistance of Smile Train, and will be continuing to do so in an increased capacity as CCC centers. Philippine Band of Mercy has performed 25,300 Smile Train-funded cleft surgeries since 2002; Marikina St. Vincent has performed 1,900+ cleft surgeries since 2011; San Fernando Hospital has done over 1,000 cleft surgeries since 2011; and Mabuhay Deseret Foundation has performed 1,500+ cleft surgeries since 2008. Additional partner hospitals will be able to provide CCC in the coming months.

More on Comprehensive Cleft Care (CCC)

Comprehensive cleft care complements cleft surgery, which Smile Train has been providing at no cost to families in need for over 20 years in the Philippines. Cleft treatment is not a one-off process or even just a series of surgeries, but often requires a holistic approach including nutritional support, dental and orthodontic care, psychosocial support, and speech therapy. CCC is provided by an interdisciplinary, supportive team of highly trained professionals that typically includes geneticists, nutritionists, surgeons, nurses, speech therapists, ENTs, audiologists, mental health counselors, dentists, and orthodontists, among others. For Smile Train and its medical partners, CCC means that each person with cleft has access to all the care they need in order to thrive.

The expansion of Smile Train’s CCC footprint also supports its efforts to promote a working telehealth network, which will allow patients to access CCC despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and geography.

In the Philippines, the pandemic has not gotten in the way of Smile Train’s efforts to help cleft patients, providing over 1,800+ surgeries (pandemic-related) done in 2020, and 1,120 in the first 6 months of 2021 with 26 partners actively doing surgeries.

Since the start of the pandemic, Smile Train’s speech telehealth program in the Philippines has treated over 200 patients, providing them with more than 1,000 cleft care-related sessions. Recently, the organization launched the country’s first Filipino speech therapy mobile application which serves as a platform for more patients and families born with cleft to continue to receive comprehensive cleft care with minimal disruptions.

For more information about Smile Train’s global efforts and to donate, please visit smiletrain.org. 

To learn more about Smile Train’s local programs in the Philippines, please visit smiletrain.ph, follow Smile Train Philippines on Twitter and Instagram @SmileTrainPh, and like us on Facebook at @SmileTrainPhilippines. The Smile Train Philippines mobile application can be downloaded via Google Play and App Store.

About Smile Train

Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children’s lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. To learn more about how Smile Train's sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit smiletrain.ph. For more information about Smile Train’s work in the Philippines, please contact philippines@smiletrain.org.

Compassion and excellence at the heart of Cardinal Santos Medical Center

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Clinical excellence has always been the core of Cardinal Santos Medical Center’s (CSMC) services—from its medical staff composed of some of the most respected doctors today, to the technology that it uses to bring the most groundbreaking services to its patients. 

Clinical excellence throughout the years. Dr. Zenaida Javier-Uy, Senior Vice-President and Chief Medical Officer of Cardinal Santos Medical Center shares how the hospital has continuously strived to be at the forefront of the medical industry by providing innovative services and investing in groundbreaking technologies. 

“Clinical excellence encompasses a lot of things, not just excellent doctors in terms of knowledge, but excellence in being an innovator—leading the pack, so to speak. The patients seek out our services because they know how good our doctors are. It also encompasses the services we offer and how our people take care of our patients. We continuously improve on our 

ways as we remain determined to be top of mind for our patients when and if they need to go to a hospital,” said Dr. Zenaida Javier-Uy, Chief Medical Officer of CSMC. 

Dr. Javier-Uy has been with CSMC for forty-two years and has witnessed how the hospital has continuously strived to be at the forefront of the medical industry over the years. 

This brand of clinical excellence has been the driving factor behind CSMC’s investments in groundbreaking technologies, which in turn has enabled it to offer some of its most innovative services like Gamma Knife Surgery. Considered to be the gold standard technique in Stereotactic Radiosurgery, Gamma Knife Surgery allows neurosurgeons to make no incisions as they treat sensitive ailments of the brain, making the procedure simple, painless, and straightforward. 

“We really take pride in being first in a lot of things,” Dr. Javier-Uy adds. 

Passion for people. (Dr. Zenaida Javier-Uy, Senior Vice-President and Chief Medical Officer, with the Medical Executive Committee of Cardinal Santos Medical Center) The hospital continues to attract the best minds in the industry as it consistently strengthens its development programs for their doctors, nurses, and hospital staff. 

Complementing these technological innovations, CSMC continues to provide training and development tools to its people to ensure that they are equipped with the necessary advanced skills. For medical professionals, CSMC has established Philippine Center for Advanced Surgery - Minimally Invasive Training Center (PCAS-MISTC). The PCAS-MISTC is the first of its kind in the Philippines and is one of the few MIS facilities on advanced surgery in Asia. 

For the nursing underboards in their team, CSMC has launched Project Apple, a development program that enables them to pursue their dreams to be a fully licensed nurse. Project Apple was designed to establish a robust nursing talent pipeline for the organization while helping transform lives in the process. 

For Dr. Javier-Uy, these programs are a testament to the hospital’s passion for their people which, in turn, attracted some of the best medical minds to the hospital. 

“To most of us CSMC is home, we are a really family-oriented hospital,” she says. 

Just like they treat their people as family, CSMC gives the same level of value to their patients. 

“Here at CSMC, you are family. That is our corporate brand, but truly that’s how all of us feel. When you are here in CSMC you are part of a caring and loving family,” Dr. Javier-Uy explained. 

This marriage between medical expertise and compassion is what cemented Cardinal Santos Medical Center’s commitment to provide world-class healthcare to its patients. 

But what really drives CSMC’s continuous commitment to deliver excellent service and compassionate care is the institution’s rootedness to the Catholic faith—the very faith that, according to Dr. Javier-Uy, provides clarity, resolve, and direction for many of their medical staff. 

“It is our faith that has played a big role on how we take care of our patients and why malasakit is an extremely important value of the hospital,” Dr. Javier-Uy concluded. 

For more information about these services and others that CSMC offers, please visit https://cardinalsantos.com.ph/. CSMC is also on Facebook, like and follow them at www.facebook.com/CardinalSantos.