There was a film in 2000 wherein an African-American coach was assigned to head a high school football team in a new racially integrated school in Alexandria, Virginia. At first, students from both races (black and white) were uncomfortable with his presence. But because of his motivational efforts, the team began to accept and trust one another. They learned how to play in harmony with a common goal – winning the state football championship.

Just like in any other team, the players went through numerous trials. Conflicts were inevitable, raising concerns and doubts for some players, but each time they think of their goal of winning the championship, they learned how to move past those issues.

“Remember the Titans” was based on a true story in the early 1970’s and is about hard work, dedication, sacrifice, leadership, and success.

The movie reminds me of the importance of working together as a team despite the individual differences and hardships. With a good and will-powered coach (leader) and cooperative team players (subordinates), achieving the goal will be possible.

This best illustrates the working team in a public office and facility in the northern part of the Philippines where teamwork is being observed to make their shared goal materialize - serving and providing the poor with quality health care service.

The Coach

We were very fortunate that despite her busy schedule, Dr. Ana Maria Theresa de Guzman, Provincial Health Officer II of Pangasinan accommodated us. Her office is technically into reviewing the existing policies and guidelines of hospitals under the province’s jurisdiction to primarily improve its services and better serve the poor.

The province has a three (3) million population with 14 hospitals that include one (1) provincial hospital, six (6) district hospitals, and seven (7) community hospitals. These are Pangasinan Provincial Hospital; Bayambang, Eastern Pangasinan, Lingayen, Mangatarem, Urdaneta, and Western Pangasinan District Hospitals; Asingan, Bolinao, Dasol, Manaoag, Mapandan, Pozorrubio, and Umingan Community Hospitals.

When the Provincial Health Office (PHO) learned about PhilHealth’s Point of Care (POC) enrolment mechanism in 2013, they immediately signified their intention to implement the program in their 14 hospitals. In 2014, when they received a reply from PhilHealth’s head office for the implementation of the POC, they requested Governor Amado Espino III to provide funds for the 14 hospitals. “We are very fortunate that our Governor is very supportive especially when it comes to the healthcare needs of his constituents,” de Guzman said.

Initially, the province allocated a total of P7.2 million for the enrolment of 3,000 poor families under the POC, of which P1.2 million was allocated for the enrolment of 500 families in Pangasinan Provincial Hospital, P4.3 million for 300 families in each of the six (6) district hospitals and P1.6 million for the seven (7) community hospitals with 100 families or enrolees each.

From January to June 2016, the province has enrolled a total of 15,596 families, with a total PhilHealth premium contribution of P37,430,400.00 at P2,400 for each family.

The PHO made sure that poor families are enrolled in the program by developing safety nets. They even created a hotline wherein patients can call them 24/7 to address their concerns.

When asked about the initial reaction of hospital chiefs on the implementation of POC, “Noong una (2014) ang dami talaga nilang concerns, every month nagtatawag talaga kami ng meeting para mapag-usapan ang mga issues lalo na sa requirements at proseso ng enrolment. Sa Community hospitals naman, ang concern ay wala silang mga social worker. Sa ngayon, kaunti na lang naman dahil sinisigurado namin na nasosolusyunan ang kanilang mga concerns,” de Guzman replied. PhilHealth is part of our meeting’s agenda. We require the Chief of hospitals to present their accomplishments including the POC enrolment. We also make it a point that issues in governance, financing, regulatory, manpower, and policies are discussed during our meetings,” she added.

Although there are some challenges in the implementation of the POC, the PHO sees to it that the program is being carried out properly in their 14 hospitals to ensure that poor patients receive quality health care services without spending a single centavo.

“Through the point-of-care, nawala ang fear ng mga tao to access health care services. I give two thumbs up to PhilHealth. Finally they were able to come up with a program na talagang nakatutok sa mga mahihirap,” said de Guzman.

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The Team player

As we entered Pangasinan Provincial Hospital (PPH) on an early Tuesday morning, a crowd gathered outside the office of the Chief of Hospital as if someone of high importance was in the area. Until I saw a well-groomed and familiar face heading towards the exit.

It was Governor Espino. We were told that as early as 6:30 am, the Governor was already in the hospital doing some inspection together with Dr. de Guzman.

Dr. Policarpio Manuel, PPH Chief welcomed us to the hospital which he considered his second home.

The PPH is a second level hospital based on the new classification of the Department of Health with 150 authorized bed capacity. Because of the increase in number of patients in and out of the hospital, the actual beds they had during our interview reached 500. Some patients were waiting for other patients to be discharged before they could be accommodated. Based on the influx of patients in August 2016, the hospital caters to an average of 450 patients per month, excluding those being treated on outpatient basis, coming from various cities, towns and nearby provinces.

The facility recorded diarrhea and dengue as among the common reasons for patient confinements.

According to Manuel, they do not have a target number of enrolees for POC, but the only target they are focusing on is that all poor patients for discharge who are not PhilHealth members should be enrolled in the program. The social workers do the interview and assess patients if they are qualified for POC.

Over the last three years, PPH has a total of 19,967 POC beneficiaries who have availed themselves of the PhilHealth benefits with no out-of-pocket expenses.

Manuel admitted that there are instances before that they would reimburse the medicines bought by patients outside the hospital because they do not have it in their pharmacy, until they received a memorandum from their local government unit for the strict compliance and implementation of the No Balance Billing for poor patients under the PhilHealth’s Indigent program and POC.

From then on, the hospital asserted that no single patient will spend a single centavo for their medicines when confined in their hospital. “Just imagine, kami mismo ang bumibili ng gamot ng 600 naming pasyente,” Manuel narrated.

“Kaya kami sumisikat e. Kahit puno kami (ospital) dito pa din pumupunta ang mga pasyente kasi alam nila na meron silang PhilHealth sa pamamagitan ng POC,” the hospital chief said.

When asked about what he has to say about POC, “ang nagbe-benefit talaga diyan ang mahihirap na class D at hindi kasama sa 4Ps. Ang ganda ng ginawa ng PhilHealth, nakatutulong tayo sa mga mahihirap. Although may iba pa na hindrances dun sa package natin, pero at least 99 percent talagang nakatutulong ang ating PhilHealth lalo na dito sa POC.”

According to Manuel, Governor Espino plans to build a three-storey building in the hospital’s parking lot to accommodate and serve more patients in the province. “Very supportive siya (referring to Gov. Espino). Ang sabi niya, bakit hindi pa tayo magplano ngayon, kailangan pa ba nating antayin ang problema saka tayo gagawa? Doon ako natuto sa sinabi niya. Sooner or later aalis ako dito as ospital na ito. Kaya gusto ko naman maganda ang iiwanan ko. This is my 2nd home,” Manuel uttered.

Manuel has served the hospital for 32 years and is continuously doing his share in bringing quality service to the needy.

Teamwork

In a team, setting a common goal is the best method to motivate and increase the ability of the athletes. The coach should address each team member’s weakness and improve their strength, for them to become competitive team players.

The same goes in the workplace, may it be at a public office like the PHO or in a hospital like PPH. Teamwork is the key to creating good results and making the common goal a reality – providing the best quality health care services to the poor through PhilHealth’s POC. (END) (Michelle S. Nisperos)