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ASIAN Hospital and Medical Center marketing director Jun Amistoso
wishes to clarify an item in my August 29, 2008 column.
Here’s the gist of his letter:
“…First,
Asian Hospital and Medical Center has never hired nurses
on contractual basis. Second, we are not aware of any
“world-famous cardiologist” practicing at Asian Hoapital
and Medical Center that has ever charged a million pesos
in professional fee for a single procedure…”
The son
of the cardiologist who felt alluded to also sent an
e-mail, describing his dad as a simple man with simple
tastes. The son said he checked with his father’s
secretary and discovered that there was only one patient
who had “undergone five procedures in one operation,
bypass included.” Even then, the son said the
professional fee was less than P1 million.
Here’s
my answer to these letters.
As one
of the country’s top hospitals, it’s sad that Asian
Hospital and Medical Center does not have a world-class
cardiologist.
My
friend, who happens to be a chief executive officer of a
company, claims he paid the cardiologist a professional
fee of P1 million (okay, so he rounded up the figure).
Aside from the possible interest of the Bureau Internal
Revenue, that was a personal decision made by the
patient—based on the cardiologist’s successful track
record here and abroad and the patient’s strong desire
to live.
During
the patient’s stay at the hospital’s intensive care unit
(ICU), where the nurse-patient ratio is traditionally
much better than the rest of the hospital, his family
complained that it was difficult to find a nurse when
they needed one. As a result, his family opted to have
him recover at home where other nursing arrangements
were made. (By the way, some of his golf buddies who
visited him at his Ayala Alabang residence shared
similar experiences during their stay at the same
hospital).
While
the patient was physically weak, he was mentally
functional during his ICU stint. That was where he was
told some of the nurses were not hospital employees and
had no fringe benefits. Then again, the alternative
reasons for such poor service were not that much better.
At the
end of the day, the hospital’s human resources
department clearly has a problem that needs solving.
****
Did you
know 1:
Here’s more about the luxury tertiary hospital on Roxas
Boulevard that the PLDT Group chaired by Manuel
Pangilinan intends to build. The design for the 150-bed
hospital is currently being made by a Singapore-based
firm.
As part
of its built-in corporate social responsibility, the
hospital will set aside a certain percent of its monthly
revenues to support the nearby city-funded Ospital ng
Maynila, where medical service plus medicines are given
free to indigent patients, irregardless of whether these
patients are Manila residents.
Did you
know 2:
Be wary
of winning certain raffle prizes involving hotel
accommodations. As a requirement to claiming your prize,
you need to attend a seminar on the investment
opportunities of buying a time-sharing condominium unit.
And
since it’s a raffle prize (read: a bonus, if you will),
it’s not considered a racket by the Department of Trade
and Industry. |
