VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (PIA) — The Ilocos Sur Medical Center (ISMC) in Candon City, Ilocos Sur now offers more healthcare services as the Department of Health (DOH) has approved its accreditation as a Level 1 facility.
Having a 75-bed capacity hospital, ISMC caters to emergency operations, cesarean sections and delivery with complicated pregnancies.
It is also fully capacitated with nurses and doctors with appropriate trainings.
Dr. Angel Trinidad III, ISMC Chief, said patients registered with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) may avail of the “No Balance Billing (NBB)” scheme at the hospital.
The NBB policy drastically reduces patients’ out-of-pocket expense when confined in government facilities.
This covers the indigent, sponsored, domestic worker or kasambahay, senior citizen, and lifetime members.
Trinidad also said that the outpatient department (OPD) is now receiving 75 to 90 patients on a daily basis, from Mondays to Fridays, while for the emergency room (ER), they are seeing about 20-25 patients in a day.
“The radiology and laboratory building is now fully operational. We offer X-ray and CT scan services, and perform laboratory tests such as CBC, urinalysis, fecalysis, blood chemistry including blood sugar, cholesterol levels, liver enzymes and kidney functions,” Dr. Trinidad added.
Moreover, the magnetic resonance imaging or MRI of the hospital is expected to arrive in the second quarter of 2023.
According to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the construction of the dialysis building, with 14 dialysis units and corresponding staff to operate 24 hours, has been completed.
Apart from this, the DPWH said they have completed the construction of the two-storey radiology building, generator and its housing, two-storey ER and OPD building, administrative and laboratory building, central supply building, rehabilitation building and dialysis building.
“Also nearing project completion are the construction of a two-storey ward building, infectious diseases building, medical oxygen plant, and dietary building,” the DPWH added.
With these developments, the hospital is projected to be a Level 2 facility with 200-bed capacity by the third quarter of 2023 and will be fully operational as a general hospital.
Once it completes all necessary requirements, its grand opening as a tertiary facility with 500-bed capacity is expected in the next years to come. (JCR/MJTAB/JMCQ, PIA Ilocos Sur)