ILOILO City – If the surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections persists, hospitals here may run out of beds.
Mayor Jerry Treñas said last night there were 32 beds left, 23 of which are for pregnant and pediatric COVID-19 patients.
He earlier cited the increase in the healthcare utilization rate and hospital occupancy rate in the city as one of the reasons for seeking a higher quarantine status.
Treñas lamented that most private hospitals were discouraged from increasing their bed capacity for COVID-19 due to the late or non-payment of their claims with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) – nearly P900 million in total.
“They have not been paid their COVID-19 claims since the start of the pandemic. Ultimately, this major concern dissuades many hospitals from expanding their capability to manage COVID-19,” he said.
Hospitals must constantly update the City Health Office (CHO) about their bed capacity so that the city government can prepare, according to Councilor Alan Zaldivar, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s committee on health, sanitation and hospital services.
As of 12 noon of Monday, May 17, there were 34 available hospital beds left for COVID-19 patients, he said, citing the data from the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit-City Health Office.
“We have to be ready,” Zaldivar said in a privilege speech during Tuesday’s regular session.
In one hospital, COVID-19 patients were lining up to be accommodated, he said without identifying the medical facility.
“Kon pwede lang ma-submit nila sa aton office or sa CHO para kon may mamangkot nga mga pasyente at least ma-refer sila (which) hospital (has available beds),” said Zaldivar.
He urged them, too, to increase their COVID bed capacity but he also acknowledged that this entailed more resources.
PHILHEALTH VOWS ‘SOLUTIONS’
Attorney Dante Gierran, president of PhilHealth, assured the city government and hospitals here to “provide solutions”. He did not say when?
Gierran joined medical and hospital directors in a virtual meeting yesterday.
“We are very thankful to Atty. Gierran,” said Treñas.
Nine hospitals and the Uswag Molecular Laboratory here have PhilHealth claims – P860,493,324.85. These are the following:
* The Medical City Iloilo – P74.444 million
* West Visayas State University Medical Center – P36. 569 million
* Metro Iloilo Hospital and Medical Center – P78.013 million
* QualiMed Hospital – P30.393 million
* Iloilo Doctor’s Hospital – P38.265 million
* St. Paul’s Hospital Iloilo – P100.870 million
* Western Visayas Medical Center – P349.723 million
* Iloilo Mission Hospital – P99.645 million
The Medicus Medical Center also has unpaid claims with PhilHealth while the city government-run Uswag Molecular Laboratory has P53.572 million.
Treñas earlier warned that the state health insurer’s prolonged inaction may “foreseeably result in the collapse” of the healthcare system in Western Visayas.
“Our hospitals continuously suffer from losses brought about by (PhilHealth’s) indifference,” he said.
The mayor said the surge in coronavirus infections in recent weeks was overwhelming hospitals.
In fact, one hospital operating here recorded an outbreak involving 28 confirmed cases among its staff, including its medical director.
“Due to the rising number of infected personnel and after reaching its full bed capacity, majority of hospitals temporarily stopped the admission of patients due to the continued surge in cases. Emergency room isolation units for emergency and urgent care designated for COVID cases are overflowing with patients waiting to be admitted,” Treñas said./PN
