AC Health Confirms Expansion Plans for Healthway Medical Network

Just got back from the festivities held at the Altaraza Town Center as they made QualiMed San Jose Del Monte a part of the new Healthway Medical Network and named it Healthway Qualimed Hospital - San Jose Del Monte now. They are under AC Health, a subsidiary of Ayala Corporation which thrust is building a healthcare ecosystem that will provide healthcare for all!

We had the chance to talk to AC Health President and CEO Paolo Borromeo where he mentions how they plan to expand into more areas around the country and utilize funding to build, operate medical facilities and clinics to reach and serve even more people, to give medical services that are apt for the location and retrofit, renovate, build new facilities where it's needed. Here's a glimpse of the new Healthway Qualimed Hospital in SJDM Bulacan on video:

 

 

Sir Jaime Augusto Zobel De Ayala was there during the occasion and says "I am delighted to be here to be with you. Glad to see Ayala Corporation peers, LGU's all who have been such a big help, thank you for being here. It's an honor to be with you, during the pandemic, SJDM is the first COVID testing center and we had an opportunity to administer vaccines during a very crucial time. Today we celebrate a milestone, with a new name, as Qualimed is now part of Healthway Medical Network, a part of a larger care network. We plan to expand our medical facilities, including clinics in key tour areas around the country. As our ecosystem expands under the Healthway Medical Network, we promise Health Beyond Cure."

Aside from Mr. Ayala and Paolo Borromeo, the Congresswoman, several LGU executives and representatives from the provincial government of Bulacan were there to witness the event. As a way to thank them, they were presented with Healthway Care Cards for their constituents, both for the city and provincial government so if they would need to help people in their locale, they can go to the Healthway QualiMed Hospital in San Jose Del Monte and be attended by talented Doctors, Specialists, Nurses and staff that has made this place what it is today.

Mr. Ayala also thanked them all for the work they have done during and after the pandemic, but mentions it's far from over. He said sorry because he couldn't thank them personally one by one (because of time constraints) but he knows how hard they've worked these past few years as the acquisition of QualiMed by AC Health pushed through. This will be just the start of even more hospitals and clinics that AC Health plans to acquire in the next few years because they plan to invest more in health services as part of their company's goals for the country. So make sure you follow their social channels to know more about their cause.

Congratulations Healthway QualiMed Hospital in San Jose Del Monte Bulacan!

There Exists a 5G Enabled Smart Hospital in Thailand

In the eve of health care being in the forefront of importance because of the pandemic, technology has gone strides in the ASEAN region as they've started to enable a hospital in Thailand with 5G connection. Huawei together with the Thailand Office of the National Broadcasting Telecommunications Commission and Siriraj Hospital bares this as the "Siriraj World Class 5G Smart Hospital".

This was announced last December 16 and was witnessed by various government leaders, faculty leaders and members from Siriraj Hospital Mahidol University, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, the Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Han Zhiqiang and Abel Deng the CEO of Huawei Thailand and hospital representatives too. This makes Siriraj the first and largest 5G Smart Hospital in the whole region and brings top of the line technology within reach of patients, medical heiarchy. They have already started several projects with 5G Portable Medical Boxes, 5G Unmanned Vehicles, 5G Medical Carts and 5G enabled Hospital Beds. They aim to implement this on a large scale next year in around 30 other applications, a step forward in healthcare in Thailand. The Prime Minister has put a lot of importance in technology and would want to push for a more Digital Thailand. The start of the 5G enablement in the medical field is just the start, and would have it more efficient for patients. They lauded Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Huawei, NBTC and private groups. He also mentioned how this could be implemented in other hospitals in the country from hereon.

This long term cooperation between Siriraj and Huawei has bore fruit, and now implements things for health monitoring, diagnosis, data collection and tech training for medical professionals in the hospital. This has won them in CommuncAsia Awards as the Most Innovative 5G trial in Asia Pacific. There will certainly be more about it here soon. Stay tuned!

CSMC Answers: Where do broken hearts go?

Just got off the webinar of Cardinal Santos Medical Center this morning. They dared answer the question "Where do broken hearts go?" and asked several doctors about it. The Philippines experienced high numbers of heart disease in Asia, even beating US numbers as far as occurrence goes, and educating ourselves about the condition is a good thing.

Dr. Rucci Cruz discussed the "Broken Heart Syndrome" and she says it is different from heart failure. There are two types of it namely "Heart Failure with reduced left ventricular function or reduced ejection fraction and Heart Failure with preserved left ventricular function." Prevalence is 1.6 on Philhealth claims in 2014, around 1,648 cases in every 100000 claims. Most common cause for it was Hypertension and hospital stays can last up to one week or 5.9 days. Per year, they also stay there around 3-4 times and overall in hospital mortality is 9%."

She adds "According to studies, causes of heart failure fall into these categories. Coronary Heart Disease, Faulty Heart Valves, Cardiomyopathy and High Blood Pressure. Heart failure happens if your heart can't pump blood and causes it to overflow into your lungs. Often, they get shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, difficulty lying down, swollen ankle and legs, and extreme lack of energy. Risks come from family history, hypertension, obesity, age, and excessive alcohol drinking, diabetes, smoking, inactive lifestyle and sleep disorders."

"Broken Heat syndrome really happens, caused by a response to stress which decreases the heart's ability to pump, mostly it happens to men. Medication can be given to lessen stress as it has increased during the pandemic. Make sure you consult your doctor so they can advise what to do, the next steps and resolve it. ECG's, chest xray, blood tests so they can find its severity. These are all available in Cardinal Santos Medical Center. Heart failure is not a death sentence, you don't have to wait, timing is critical so they can diagnose and reverse it. You have to see your doctor right away."

Dr. Ariel Miranda the Chairman of the Cardiovascular Institute says "Listening to the first two speakers was just like listening to our children. I'm a proud father, they've become the future of our mission. In the 90's the treatments was just beginning and we have definitely evolved. Heart disease is increasing in Asian countries. Of all deaths, 1 in 3 is due to heart conditions. It's a combination of lifestyle choices and poor education/delivery of services. Patients have typical symptoms, but they fear going to the hospitals. They are afraid spending a lot, but treating it early is essential. Patients should go to doctors without delay as heart attack needs to be given attention as soon as it is felt because prolonging it will increase damage and heart failure. It shouldn't be taken lightly."

What do you do when a heart attack happens?

"Fat deposits that clot can be done via Angioplasty. There are less than 50 cath labs in Manila and about 60 Million Filipinos. We need to have preventive cardiology. We are working with Philhealth so they can provide packages that will address these problems so we can reduce the number of Filipinos developing it."

 Is this the best time to consult your doctor? Yes, mostly if you are Male and 45 years old and above, you should get checked. Screening should be done 40 years old in US guidelines, a yearly consultation, stress test if possible. The disease doesn't happen overnight, it takes years for it to accumulate especially if you have family history of heart disease. The prevalence of heart disease in the Philippines is larger than our Asian neighbors and the US. 

Dr. Ariel Miranda added "Innovations in cardiology has been so much especially in the field of preventive cardiology. In the past few years there have been advancements and there are so much information about it out there. All good for us, heart attack is a silent killer, unless you are shown the numbers, and feel pain, that's important. It only means the body is responding to extreme blood pressure. We are very careful in doing healthy guidelines, sometimes even level 4. "


CSMC is ready and have adapted to the needs for more rooms especially for non covid cases. To ensure the safety of patients, they have separate areas that have other staff to accept them, ensuring the safety as there is screening, they know where to direct them accordingly. Where do broken hearts go? The hospital of course when needed. 

Get yourself checked people! Especially if you have family history and fall under the age of 40 and above. Cardinal Santos Medical Center has the doctors and facility to take care of you when it happens.