LU Hospitals Align COVID-19 Management
By: Justin Paul D. Marbella, PIO-MPIU | Photo By: PIO-MPIU | Date: March 27, 2020
Chiefs and representatives of the government and private hospitals in La Union discuss strategies to align their handling and management of confirmed and suspected Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients in the province, during a consultation meeting on March 27, 2020 at the Bacnotan District Hospital in Bacnotan, La Union. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Eduardo Posadas reiterated the need to harmonize the hospitals' actions for efficient and streamlined health services amidst the pandemic.
Chiefs and representatives of the government and private hospitals in La Union discussed strategies to align their handling and management of confirmed and suspected Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients in the province, as they brace themselves for any heightened COVID-19 eventuality in the province.
The hospital executives met for a consultation meeting on March 27, 2020 at the Bacnotan District Hospital, Bacnotan, La Union. The gathering was initiated by the Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) and the Philippine College of Physicians Northwest Luzon Chapter.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Eduardo Posadas recognized the need to harmonize the hospitals’ management strategies to be consistent with the guidelines cascaded by the Department of Health (DOH).
Dr. Posadas said hospital executives are strained with keeping up with the DOH updates. “We need to come up with a common understanding, so that our actions are aligned and streamlined,” he said.
Since January 2020, the DOH has issued 16 interim guidelines, 18 public advisories, and several other situational reports on COVID-19. DOH’s triage system used as decision tool to identify Person-Under-Investigation (PUI) or Person-Under-Monitoring (PUM) has also been revised several times since the pandemic arose.
Hence, DOH Region 1 COVID-19 Focal Person Dr. Rheuel Bobis presented the salient points of the guidelines and advisories. He also clarified issues on the triage system, as he made a run through with the algorithm.
“This algorithm was last revised on March 16, and this is the updated version that hospitals should use in their triaging,” Dr. Bobis said. He reiterated that the algorithm illustrates the DOH protocol which hospitals should strictly observe.
The medical executives also exchanged hospital best practices. They also planned out a structure for the strict monitoring of the discharged PUIs and PUMs in the barangays. This is to ensure that they remain on strict home isolation to prevent the potential spread of the virus in the community.
As of March 26, there are 117 PUIs in La Union: 72 of them are discharged and on strict home quarantine, while 45 are currently confined in various hospitals in La Union.
There are seven government hospitals in the province, namely the DOH-administered Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center (ITRMC); PGLU’s La Union Medical Center (LUMC) in Agoo; and the five PGLU-managed district hospitals in Balaoan, Bacnotan, Naguilian, Caba, and Rosario.
There are four private hospitals: Lorma Medical Center, Bethany Hospital, and the La Union Medical Diagnostic Center, in City of San Fernando; and the Agoo Family Hospital.
Dr. Posadas assured that the PGLU is ready to assist the hospitals in their intensified operations amidst the pandemic. “Gov. Francisco Emmanuel R. Ortega III is much willing to help, and so we need to strongly collaborate and work together against COVID-19,” he said.
