CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga —The Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital (JBLMGH) continues to ensure accessible and high-quality medical services to its patients, especially the poor and indigents.
This is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’ emphasis on universal healthcare during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“Mga kababayan, asahan po ninyo, ginagawa nating lahat para matulungan kayo na makapagpagaling at lumakas. Ito po – itinuloy na po natin ang zero balance billing. Libre po. Ibig sabihin, ang serbisyo sa basic accommodation sa ating mga DOH [Department of Health] na ospital, wala nang babayaran ang pasyente dahil bayad na ang bill ninyo,” the President siad.
(Rest assured, we are doing everything we can to help you recover and grow stronger. We have continued with zero balance billing. It is free. This means that for basic accommodation services in our DOH hospitals, the patient will not have to pay anything because your bill has already been paid.)
JBLMGH Medical Center Chief Dr. Monserrat Chichioco said the hospital has been long implementing the No Balance Billing (NBB) policy for patients under basic accommodation, and even procures necessary medicines not available in the hospital pharmacy, as long as they are listed in the Philippine National Formulary, to be given to patients for free.
“In cases where patients are not eligible under NBB, the hospital activates additional support mechanisms. We have what we call Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients. We also refer patients to PCSO [Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office] and DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development] for further financial assistance [so that] even if the patient is not qualified in the NBB, he or she will not pay anything,” she said.
In terms of cancer care, the hospital coordinates with partner providers and shoulders the cost of procedures not available onsite, such as radiation therapy, through the Cancer Assistance Fund, which the President also mentioned in his SONA.
“At JBLMGH’s Cancer Center, patients benefit from free chemotherapy and brachytherapy. We also have PhilHealth cancer packages. So all of these are available to our patients,” Chichioco noted.
The hospital has also established a Hansen’s Disease clinic in response to increasing cases detected in its outpatient department.
“Currently, our management is comprehensive for this. We have a clinic and patients can access the medications for this disease here,” she said.
Beyond these specialty services, JBLMGH has taken major strides in providing compassionate, community-based care by establishing Luzon’s first-ever palliative and supportive care unit for terminally ill patients, including those who are at home.
“Usually these patients suffer from chronic diseases, cancer, stroke…we manage their nutritional status and of course, the pain management. Our doctors regularly visit these patients,” she said.
The medical center chief also shared that the DOH even tasked JBLMGH to develop the national manual for palliative and supportive care.
In addition, to address rabies cases in the province, the hospital also launched a dedicated human rabies isolation facility, where there is a room next to it so that relatives can still see their admitted loved ones.
JBLMGH has also upgraded its infrastructure and equipment, including the orthopedic building, which is now equipped with an integrated operating room featuring a rotating machine for spine surgeries.
In its trauma center, a newly procured robot will soon perform 70 types of surgeries, including urology, OB-GYN, cardiac, and head and neck procedures.
“These innovations aim to minimize invasive surgeries and shorten the healing period. Let’s say their recovery time is shorter and the procedure is faster, we can accommodate more patients,” Chichioco explained.
She also noted that through sustained government support, innovation, and a deep commitment to inclusive healthcare, JBLMGH turns the President’s healthcare vision into reality, making sure that no Filipino is left behind.
