For 48 years, the Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed) has remained committed to its promise of delivering premium health care services to the public. It was able to adapt to the changing landscape and developments in the health care industry by expanding the scope of its services and integrating technological innovation in its operations. By working beyond its sense of duty, MakatiMed has been able to contribute to the growth of the country while serving its clients with quality services.

MakatiMed is one of the premier hospitals in the Philippines, with a capacity of more than 600 beds, located at the heart of the country’s primary central business district, Makati. It is equipped with modern facilities and state-of-the-science medical equipment and technology that help its highly skilled and board-certified physicians, nurses, health care professionals and management staff deliver world-class services.

In the past years, MakatiMed has been a model for embracing technological innovations in its operations. Through this effort, it has been recognized and accredited by local and international institutions such as the Department of Health (DoH), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO), and Joint Commission International (JCI), among others.

One of the groundbreaking innovations initiated by MakatiMed in the health care industry is MakatiMed On-Call, the first hospital-based call center in the country. Since it was launched in 2010, it was able to help the institution manage inbound calls, handling appointment bookings for various outpatient services, and making outbound goodwill calls to patients.

MakatiMed is also the first hospital in the country to offer TomoTherapy treatment. It is a revolutionary development in cancer care that utilizes the latest form of image-guided radiation therapy to correctly identify and locate tumor sites before each radiation session. The treatment makes every session more precise and reduces many common side effects associated with radiation treatment. It was launched in 2012, along with the inauguration of MakatiMed’s Cellular Therapeutics Center.

In order to support the increasing volume of its patients and transactions, MakatiMed launched a new integrated system, iHIMS (integrated Hospital Information System). The system went live on April 15, 2013 and was able to help the institution handle services including patient registration and administration, inpatient admission, discharge and transfer, appointment scheduling, outpatient management, as well as billing and cashiering.

In 2014, MakatiMed started using the CAB (Computer at Bedside), a computer on a mobile cart that can be easily carried by nurses from one patient room to another. CAB helps doctors and nurses in administrating correct medication and accessing accurate patient information, without leaving the patient’s bedside.

In line with its commitment to patient safety, MakatiMed expanded its partnership with the leading provider of drug information and medical education for health care professionals, MIMS. With MIMS Integrated, doctors, pharmacists, and nurses are able to have a point-of-care access to medicine information and receive medication safety alerts. It allows them to make the necessary changes prior to prescription, thus reduce medication errors.

To address the needs of individuals who are advocating a healthy lifestyle, MakatiMed launched the MMC HealthHub. Located at the first floor of MakatiMed’s Towers 1 and 2, it offers health packages that include a physical examination, complete blood count, urinalysis, fecalysis, and chest X-ray to give patients a clearer picture of their health profile. The packages can be remodeled to fit the changing health and lifestyle needs of the patients. The MMC HealthHub is equipped with facilities and amenities that help patients undergo the entire process with ease. 

Since 2010, MakatiMed has also been also sharing its services to the rest of the country through its Strategic Hospital Alliance Program (SHAP), managed by the hospital’s Marketing and Sales Services Division. It has forged partnerships with hospitals, clinics and facilities located in other cities and the provinces across the country. It has also formed tie ups with individuals and company providers involved in the referral business for health services abroad to help reach Filipinos and foreigners who need world-class compassionate medical care.

MakatiMed also extends help to patients outside its walls through the annual conduct of medical missions within its community and nearby cities and provinces, through the Health Service Program (HSP) which gives support to patients who cannot afford the full cost of medical treatment, and through various corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives led by the hospital’s foundation, Makati Medical Center Foundation (MMCF).

A major thrust of MMC Foundation is its aim to help other (mostly government) hospitals in terms of management and application of best practices. The Foundation also lends a hand to help raise funds from sponsors benefitting MakatiMed patients under its charity programs. — Mark Louis F. Ferrolino

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