Cayetano calls for a game-changer to improve hospital systems and meet Filipino patients' needs
November 23, 2024
Cayetano calls for a game-changer to improve hospital systems and meet Filipino patients' needs
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday said it is time for a "game changer" in the country's healthcare system, urging increased funding for State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) to support research that would identify the best ways to improve the health of Filipinos.
The senator made this appeal during the Senate deliberation on the proposed 2025 budget for SUCs on November 19, 2024 led by Senator Pia Cayetano who sponsored the proposal.
"Each health system has its own problems. May butas naman talaga, at wala namang perfect na system. I've seen doctors getting better, our laws getting better, PhilHealth getting better, and a lot of things have gotten better, but I haven't seen a shift or a game-changer in the way we look at our health system," Senator Alan said.
Drawing from Singapore's healthcare model, Cayetano praised its efficiency and transparency in patient admission and billing, saying that while it is still bureaucratic in nature, the system effectively avoids the common pitfalls of red tape.
Cayetano urged SUCs - particularly the UP-PGH - to conduct scientific studies aimed at assessing and enhancing the country's hospital system to ensure it aligns with the needs of patients.
"I would like to really have a scientific study of whether or not our present system is the best for the Filipino patients and would sustain building hospitals or if we just inherited it in the 60s or 70s and just decided to continue to do it," he said.
As the country's largest training hospital, Cayetano also urged UP-PGH to maintain "the same standard" across all its existing and upcoming branches to ensure consistent quality.
"We want to have the same standards for all campuses because if it's not a system baka y'ung quality mo in one campus won't be of the same quality," he said.
Cayetano also pointed out a "basic mistake" often made when setting up a system, where planning takes place before hiring administrators.
"The sooner you appoint the head of the whole system, he or she will already be part of the planning," he said.
The senator pointed out that these goals can be achieved by reallocating a portion of the budget from agencies like the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to other priorities, particularly higher education and healthcare.
"For the last two years, more or less, P1 trillion ang budget ng DPWH, P350 billion doon ay para sa anti-flood projects pero ganoon pa rin ang flooding sa atin," he said.
"Can you imagine if you remove a hundred billion from the DPWH and double the budget of SUCs, baka ma-flood tayo ng research at estudyante rather than pagbabaha [sa kalsada]," he added.
Panahon na para sa isang 'game-changer' sa healthcare system - Cayetano
Panahon na para sa isang malaking pagbabago o "game changer" sa healthcare system ng bansa, giit ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano
Nanawagan din siya ng pagtaas ng pondo para sa State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) upang maisagawa ang mga pag-aaral na tutukoy sa pinakamabisang paraan para mapabuti ang kalusugan ng mga Pilipino.
Ginawa ni Cayetano ang apela sa deliberasyon sa Senado para sa mungkahing pondo ng SUCs para sa 2025 nitong November 19, 2024, kasama si Senador Pia Cayetano na siyang tagapagtaguyod ng panukala.
"Each health system has their own problems. May butas naman talaga, at wala namang perfect na system. I've seen doctors getting better, our laws getting better, PhilHealth getting better, and a lot of things have gotten better but I haven't seen a shift or a game-changer in the way we look at our health system," wika ni Senador Alan.
Bilang halimbawa, pinuri ni Cayetano ang healthcare system ng Singapore sa kahusayan at pagiging transparent nito sa proseso ng admission ng pasyente at pag-compute ng bayarin.
Aniya, bagama't may pagka-bureaucratic pa rin, naiiwasan ng sistema ang karaniwang suliranin ng red tape.
Hinimok din ni Cayetano ang SUCs - partikular ang UP-PGH - na magsagawa ng mga siyentipikong pag-aaral upang suriin at pagbutihin ang sistema ng mga ospital sa bansa para masigurong naaayon ito sa pangangailangan ng mga pasyente.
"I would like to really have a scientific study of whether or not our present system is the best for the Filipino patients and would sustain building hospitals or if we just inherited it in the 60s or 70s and just decided to continue to do it," wika niya.
Hinimok din niya ang UP-PGH, bilang pinakamalaking training hospital sa bansa, na tiyakin ang pare-parehong kalidad ng serbisyo sa lahat ng mga sangay nito, kasalukuyan man o sa hinaharap.
"We want to have the same standards for all campuses because if it's not a system baka y'ung quality mo in one campus won't be of the same quality," wika niya.
Pinaalala rin ni Cayetano ang madalas na pagkakamali sa pagtatayo ng isang sistema, kung saan inuuna ang pagpaplano bago magtalaga ng administrador.
"The sooner you appoint the head of the whole system, he or she will already be part of the planning," wika niya.
Sinabi rin ni Cayetano na maisasakatuparan ang mga layuning ito sa pamamagitan ng paglalaan ng bahagi ng badyet mula sa mga ahensiyang tulad ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) patungo sa mas mahahalagang prayoridad tulad ng higher education at kalusugan.
"For the last two years, more or less, P1 trillion ang budget ng DPWH, P350 billion doon ay para sa anti-flood projects pero ganoon pa rin ang flooding sa atin," wika niya.
"Can you imagine if you remove a hundred billion from the DPWH and double the budget of SUCs, baka ma-flood tayo ng research at estudyante rather than pagbabaha [sa kalsada]," dagdag niya.
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