LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, April 29(PIA) - - The province launched its own One Hospital Command Center(OHCC) that follows a systematic and centralized referral system for COVID-19 patients to appropriate health facilities.
Provincial Health Office Head Dr. Nora Ruiz said the OHCC started operation last April 22 with Darwin Simsim as the designated Acting OHCC Manager.
The OHCC is a unified response to COVID-19 such that patients are guaranteed a slot at an available and appropriate healthcare facility. Its role is to coordinate referrals, conduct data analysis and do clinical services.
There is a protocol that will be followed in referring patients to the Center. This is based on initial diagnosis and assessment of either the Municipal Health Officer or Chief of Hospital or their alternates who also are the authorized to directly refer the patients to the OHCC and not anybody else, Ruiz explained.
Simsim said that based on the real-time data on the available and appropriate health facility, center coordinator dispatches the patient for admission to either an isolation facility or to a hospital.
The Benguet OHCC operates 24/7 with three shifts manned initially by 12 staff members. Its hotline numbers are 09376284961(Globe), 09518588752 and 09516701981(Smart).
A focal person is assigned per health facility who monitors vacancies and coordinates this with the center. Presently, there are eight isolation facilities and 10 government and private hospitals in the province.
The OHCC clinical services is not yet operational as there are no physicians available, Simsim said.
With the presence of the centralized system, the patients for admission will be properly coordinated and avoid the agony waiting for available slot, according to Ruiz.
She admitted that there had been instances where some patients had to wait and stay for quite sometime inside the ambulance awaiting for a vacant health facility, but with the OHCC this will now be avoided. (JDP/SCA-PIA CAR, Benguet)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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