Hospitals with best practices in infection control awarded by PHA

MANILA, Philippines – After a successful initial run in 2014, the Philippine Hospitals Association (PHA), in partnership with Aseptics, a division of RiteMed, the leading unibranded line of medicines in the country, once again gave recognition to hospitals that maintain and implement the highest standards in the prevention of hospital-acquired infections (HAI).

Leading figures in the hospital infection prevention and control advocacy were present during the awarding ceremonies. Photo shows from l to r: Dr. Rusty Jimenez, president of Private Hospital Association of the Philippines, Inc.; Victoria Ching of the Philippine Hospital Infection Control Society; Dr. Relito Saquilayan, president of the Association of Hospital Administrators; Dr. Ricardo Adriano, president of Philippine College of Hospital Administrators; Dr. Ruben Flores, president of Philippine Hospital Association; Dr. Vicente Belizario,Jr., Undersecretary of the Department of Health; Prof. Nina Carandang, Social Health Scientist from the University of the Philippines-Manila; Faye Ferrer, Health Without Harm; and Prof. Rene Domingo, Asian Institute of Management. Not in photo is Dr. Jaime Montoya , executive director of Philippine Center for Health Research and Development.

This year’s overall winners are Holylife Hospital (Level 1), Naga Imaging Cooperative Center (NICC) Doctors Hospital (Level 2), and the University of Perpetual Help DALTA Medical Center (Level 3). “Many hospitals in the Philippines have exceeded the bar of excellence, particularly in the area of infection prevention and control, two key elements in delivering the highest quality service and safety to patients. It is only fitting to give them recognition for all their efforts,” says PHA president Dr. Ruben Flores.

The RiteMed Aseptics team recognized the contribution of Dr. Huberto Lapuz (3rd from left), overall chairman of the Best Hospital Practices in Infection and Control Awards, and Dr. Ruben Flores (4th from left), president of Philippine Hospital Association, in promoting the highest standards of patient care in the country. From l to r: Vincent Guerrero, general manager of RiteMed; Rosario Dumpit, head of RiteMed Aseptics; Jose Maria A. Ochave and Edgardo A. Kanapi.

Vincent Guerrero, general manager of RiteMed, expressed his thanks to PHA for making RiteMed Aseptics part of the advocacy, “RiteMed and PHA are both committed in pursuing programs that will promote the highest level of patient care. It is our hope that this search will not only encourage every single hospital in the country to carry out good and sustainable infection prevention control programs but also give recognition where it is due.”

Philippine Hospital Association president Dr. Ruben Flores recently represented the country in APEC USAID GHSA, a global forum on public policy frameworks to advance and measure progress in infection prevention and control which was held in Korea.

Fight Against Infection

Infection, particularly those acquired in medical facilities or institutions can happen to 10 out of 100 hospitalized patients at any given time. This much was revealed from the World Health Organization (WHO) data. In developed countries the incidence rate is at seven out of 100. HAI is a global concern. Dr. Flores, who recently attended the APEC USAID GHSA policy forum on infection control infrastructure in Korea shares a few insights. “Even other developed countries are still struggling and leave much to be desired in their system of handling infection prevention and control. The learnings from the efforts of other countries can and should be adopted, and this advocacy of ours, this search for hospitals with best practices in infection prevention and control is in the right direction. This global effort affirms what we have started in our country two years ago through the recognition of hospitals practicing the highest standards of infection prevention and control. ”

Holylife Hospital, Overall Winner for Level 1

The competition is anchored on three objectives: to elevate every hospital’s awareness level on the importance of infection control and prevention of HAI; to ensure that hospitals and other healthcare facilities are properly implementing infection prevention and control practices in their respective institutions; and, to encourage every hospital to maintain the highest standards in the prevention and control of HAI.

“We hope that with this annual award, we will be able to institutionalize the practice of infection prevention and control,” says Dr. Flores.

The Winners

Joining the list of winners for “Hospitals Best Practices in Infection Prevention and Control, Year 2” are: Jabez Medical Center, Second Runner up Level 1; Calamba Medical Center, Second Runner up Level 2; and Philippine General Hospital, Second Runner up Level 3. The first runners up are as follows: Juan Alberto District Hospital, Level 1; The Medical City-Iloilo, Level 2; and Chong Hua Hospital, Level 3.

Naga Imaging Cooperative Center (NICC) Doctors Hospital, Overall Winner for Level 2

Special awards were also given to the following: Best in Hand Hygiene: Medical City-Iloilo (overallwinner), Holylife Hospital, and Philippine General Hospital; Best in Environmental Cleaning and Decontamination: University of Perpetual Help Dalta Medical Center (overall winner), Holylife Hospital, and Naga Imaging Cooperative Center ( NICC) Doctors Hospital; Best in Management of Infection Prevention Among Healthcare Workers: Philippine General Hospital (overall winner), Naga Imaging Cooperative Center (NICC) Doctors Hospital , and Juan Alberto District Hospital; Best in Healthcare Waste-Management: University of Perpetual Help DALTA Medical Center (overall winner), Naga Imaging Cooperative Center (NICC) Doctors Hospital, and Holylife Hospital; Best in Isolation Precaution Management: University of Perpetual Help DALTA Medical Center (overall winner), The Medical City- Iloilo, and Holylife Hospital.

University of Perpetual Health System Dalta Medical Center, Overall Winner for Level 3

Special citations were likewise given to the following: Infection Prevention and Control Program – The Medical City-Iloilo; Infection Prevention and Control Implementation – University of Perpetual Help DALTA Medical Center; Infection Prevention and Control Monitoring – Juan Alberto District Hospital; and Infection Prevention and Control Innovation – Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital. ADVT