By Dhel Nazario
Specialized diagnostic and medical services at the Makati Medical Center (MMC) are now open to residents of Makati after Mayor Abby Binay signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Ospital ng Makati (OsMak) and MMC on Wednesday.
According to Mayor Binay, the MOA now allows patients from OsMak to be referred to MMC for specialized diagnostic exams, treatment, and even surgery. This will give beneficiaries of Makati Health Plus (MHP) Program or “Yellow Card”, full access to the best treatment and health care services in the city at no cost to them, she said.
Makati Mayor Abby Binay (My Makati / MANILA BULLETIN)
“By allowing OsMak doctors to refer cases to MMC, we are tapping their equipment, technology, and expertise. We are making the latest and most advanced diagnostic tools available to our Yellow Card holders. More importantly, they can avail themselves of life-saving surgical procedures and treatments which have yet to be made available at OsMak,” said Mayor Binay said.
Under the MOA, a patient from OsMak will be accommodated by MMC only if he has a referral or endorsement letter from the city-run hospital. This means that patients must still go to OsMak for initial assessment before they avail themselves of the procedures from MMC.
The agreement also includes emergency procedures, but must still be properly endorsed by the city-run hospital. The Osmak to MMC referral program will be implemented initially for a year, subject to extension or renewal.
MMC President and CEO Dr. Maria Corazon Consunji signed the MOA in behalf of MMC. The accord was witnessed by OsMak Officer-in-Charge and Hospital Director Dr. VergelBinay, Makati City Administrator Claro F. Certeza, and MMC Medical Director Dr. Johnny Sison.
Mayor Binay said that while the city continues to improve and modernize OsMak’s facilities, it is inevitable that some equipment like CT Scan or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines may need repair or replacement. During this time, doctors from OsMak can send patients to MMC for the procedure. Once they have received the results, the patient will come back to OsMak for diagnosis and treatment.
Makati Mayor Abby Binay (My Makati / MANILA BULLETIN)
“By allowing OsMak doctors to refer cases to MMC, we are tapping their equipment, technology, and expertise. We are making the latest and most advanced diagnostic tools available to our Yellow Card holders. More importantly, they can avail themselves of life-saving surgical procedures and treatments which have yet to be made available at OsMak,” said Mayor Binay said.
Under the MOA, a patient from OsMak will be accommodated by MMC only if he has a referral or endorsement letter from the city-run hospital. This means that patients must still go to OsMak for initial assessment before they avail themselves of the procedures from MMC.
The agreement also includes emergency procedures, but must still be properly endorsed by the city-run hospital. The Osmak to MMC referral program will be implemented initially for a year, subject to extension or renewal.
MMC President and CEO Dr. Maria Corazon Consunji signed the MOA in behalf of MMC. The accord was witnessed by OsMak Officer-in-Charge and Hospital Director Dr. VergelBinay, Makati City Administrator Claro F. Certeza, and MMC Medical Director Dr. Johnny Sison.
Mayor Binay said that while the city continues to improve and modernize OsMak’s facilities, it is inevitable that some equipment like CT Scan or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines may need repair or replacement. During this time, doctors from OsMak can send patients to MMC for the procedure. Once they have received the results, the patient will come back to OsMak for diagnosis and treatment.