TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) – The Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC) has been recognized as one of two public regional Level III hospitals in the Philippines in the Trailblazer Award of the Institute of Solidarity in Asia (ISA) for its outstanding governance practices.
CVMC was awarded silver, while the Western Visayas Medical Center received gold, both achieved Compliant Status under ISA’s Performance Governance System (PGS).
Originally established in 1945 as the 43rd Field Hospital by the 37th Infantry after World War II, CVMC began its governance journey with ISA in 2019, attaining Initiation Status, the first of four stages in the PGS.
With a vision to become a 1,000-bed tertiary hospital with regional specialty centers by 2025, CVMC has successfully launched five of the planned 14 specialty centers, receiving full operational status as recognized by the Department of Health. The Center for Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine and the Lung Care Center are among these.
In response to the high prevalence of lung-related diseases, which rank among the top ten causes of morbidity and mortality in the country, CVMC has significantly enhanced its pulmonary services. The Lung Care Center now features advanced diagnostic tools, including Pulmonary Function Testing. This greatly improves the hospital’s capacity for early diagnosis and effective treatment of respiratory conditions, leading to transformative patient care outcomes.
“Over the past year, this procedure has benefited 194 patients,” stated Dr. Cherry Lou M. Antonio, medical center chief.
“The Pulmonary Unit, as part of the Lung Care Center, aims to become a premier facility in the region, offering world-class diagnostic services and cutting-edge care in Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine,” she added.
To further enhance healthcare delivery and coordination, CVMC has established a healthcare provider network in line with the Universal Health Care initiative. This network collaborates with municipal and provincial health officers, private hospitals, and the Multi-sectoral Governance Council, a group of external stakeholders formed at the advice of ISA to support the hospital’s reform agenda.
Additionally, an Emergency Department navigation and referral system has been developed, resulting in better-coordinated patient referrals and reduced admission times. (OTB/PIA Region 2 with reports from ISA)
