A rural hospital

Before the March 15, 2020 lockdown, we moved permanently to our weekend retreat in Lake Caliraya, Laguna. Located about two and a half hours away from Manila, we had access to a supermarket for basic supplies, a market for seafood from ports close to the area, and vegetable farms close by at a fraction of supermarket prices. We were also fortunate to have adequate telecommunication services provided by SMART in our area which made work-from-home possible. We considered our location as the best quarantine against the deadly virus that has taken the lives of many.

But as seniors, one of our major concerns was the availability of adequate health care in our area. We had the impression that provincial hospitals were rudimentary and that any major medical problem would require the services of a specialist, most of whom were located in the city. The closest major facility would be Asian Hospital, which is two and a half hours away in an emergency. But with our favorable living conditions, we considered the distance worth the risk.

In December 2021, my family and staff had undergone a medical checkup in the convenience of our home, which was arranged by Raquel Cagurangan of Aventus. It included ECG and x-ray in their mobile van at a reasonable cost. This meant no travel or waiting time for us had we traveled to the clinic.

But four weeks ago, I slipped, suffered intense pain, and couldn’t be moved without causing more damage. Another call to Raquel resulted in a quickly arranged teleconsultation with an orthopedic doctor and the immediate mobilization of a SOAR ambulance that did indeed soar, and got me to the emergency room of the HealthServ hospital in Los Baños in no time. After the usual paperwork, x-rays were taken within an hour.

Unfortunately, the x-rays revealed a fractured hip that required a titanium replacement. We had originally planned to proceed to Asian Hospital if that was the finding. But after a quick evaluation of the professionalism, efficiency, and cleanliness of the hospital, we decided to stay and have the surgery done there. The best decision we could have made.

My wife and I were tested for COVID-19 and moved to a holding room in a wing of the hospital until the results came out. After testing negative, we were moved to the COVID-free wing. Meanwhile, the tests required prior to surgery were already being performed.

There definitely was no shortage of extremely-competent doctors who saw to it that I was fit for the operation including an anesthetist, neurologist (I had a history of epilepsy), and of course, the cardiologist, Dr. Arnel Romeo. He tested for carotid blockages, which had been diagnosed in the past.

Two orthopedic surgeons, Dr. Jonathan Gaspar and Dr. JR Resubal, came in to explain the procedure and assured us that the only pain post-operation would be from the wound. They also assured me that I would still be able to go on our planned overseas trip and walk through the sites as the replacement would last beyond my lifetime.

The operation was performed as scheduled and at noon I was wheeled out into the recovery room with tubes stuck into me all over the place. The next day, the surgeons were back to assist me in my first walk with the aid of a walker. There was great progress each day until continued pain in the region exposed the presence of a blood clot which extended my stay in the hospital for another three days. But I am now home and can walk but limited only to safe areas as determined by my wife and son. But we’ll no longer be able to travel as the risk of the blood clot moving into the heart is increased.

This experience has changed my thinking about provincial hospitals. The HealthServ hospital had the capability to handle major issues, had more than adequate facilities, and was clean. There was no shortage of specialists who made daily visits to check my progress after the operation. Although the room was a bit small, it was cleaned twice a day. The only real con was the lack of hot showers. The operating room area was spotless and bright. And the nurses, the real heroes in our health system, were friendly, sympathetic, and professional. There was never a long waiting time when called. The hospital also took all precautions in protecting their patients from COVID-19.

The Philippines is being promoted as a destination for retirement but has ranked low in the availability of adequate health care services in the provinces. But with my experience, I can confidently state that this need not be the case with the emergence of smaller health facilities, such as HealthServ, which is part of a chain of 19 hospitals in the Mount Grace group around the country. If more such chains are developed by the private sector, the Philippines can have a health care system to be proud of. The government should come up with some attractive incentives to encourage nationwide private hospitals.

Our worries over emergency health care are over.

Email: wallace_likeitis@wbf.ph