What is Medical Technology?

Medical technology as defined by Ruth Heinemann(1963) is "the

application of principles of natural, physical, and biological sciences to the
performance of laboratory procedures which aid in the diagnosis and
treatment of diseases."

Anna Fagelson(1961) defined it as "the branch of medicine concerned

with the performance of laboratory determinations and analyses used in the
diagnosis and treatment of the disease and the maintenance of health."

Walters defined medical technology or clinical laboratory science "as the

health profession concerned with performing laboratory analyses in view of
obtaining information necessary in the diagnosis and treatment of disease as
well as in the maintenance of good health."

All in all Medical technology is a part of the health technology, which

encompasses a wide-range of health care products and, in one way or
another, is used to diagnose, monitor or treat every disease or condition that
affects humans.

HISTORY

Early History

In the year 460 B.C. when the Greek, physician Hippocrates also known
as the father of medicine formulated the famous Hippocratic Oath, the code of
ethics for practicing physicians. Hippocrates described four "humors" or body
fluids in man namely- the blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile. These four
humors or body fluids were felt to be the source of a person's disposition and
disease in ancient times.

Visual examination of urine at the bedside could diagnose illness.

Astrology, superstition and folk-lore often influences ancient physicians in
making diagnoses, but they made credible observation about urine. Urinalysis
or the study of urine has been passed down from ancient times and is
regarded as the oldest laboratory procedures today.

In the year 1500 B.C. a medical technologist named Vivian Herrick

traces the beginning of medical technology when the intestinal parasites such
as Taenia and Ascaris were first identified. Ebers Papyrus, believe that
medical technology began when a book for treatment of disease published,
this book also contained the description of the three stages of hookworm
infection and the disease it could produce to human.

Another person in named Ruth Williams believe that medical technology

began from the medieval period (1096-1438) as supported by the fact that
urinalysis was a fad. Early Hindu doctors made the "scientific observation"
that the urine of certain individual attracted ants, and that such urine has a
sweetish taste. In the 14th century Anne Fagelson believe that medical
technology started when a prominent Italian doctor at the University of
Bologna employed Alessandra Giliani to perform different tasks in the
laboratory, unfortunately she died due to laboratory acquired infection.

Medical technology developed as the years passed. In 1632, Anton Van

Leeuwenhoek invented and improved the compound microscope. He was the
first to describe red blood cells, to see protozoa, and to classify bacteria
according to shape. His invention led to the rapid progress of microbiology
and pathology. As science progressed, laboratory tests were greatly
improved. In 1848, Herman Fehling performed the first quantitive test for urine
sugar.

At the same time, the rapid advancement of our chemistry laid the
ground work for the development of our modern clinical chemistry.

History of Medical Technology in the Philippines

World War II is the most widespread war that occurred from 1939 to
1945. On the day Pearl Harbor was invaded by Japan (December 7, 1941)
three days after Japan invaded Philippines causing wrath of the US. The war
between the two rivals was very grave. Sickness and death due to illnesses
were rampant.

In 1944, US bases were built in Leyte (around 75 miles away from

Manila Bay). This made possible for the Us to bring in members of the health
care team to the Philippines to resolve the health problems of soldiers and
Filipinos.

Real medical facilities were made available to the Philippines, which

includes the 26th Medical Laboratory of the 6th US Army. The said laboratory
was located at Quiricada, Sta. Cruz, Manila, but now known as the Public
Health Laboratory, a division of the Manila Health Department. As early as
February of that year, training of civilians to become members of the health
care team was already being done.

The 6th US Army left the laboratory on June 1945. The laboratory was
endorsed to the National Department of Health but the department did not
seem to be interested in pursuing the objectives of laboratory.

The World War ended on September 1945, and barely a month after, the
laboratory was formerly re-organized by Dr. Alfredo Pio de Roda and assisted
by Dr. Mariano Icasiano who was then the Manila City Health Officer. The
laboratory was later name Manila Public Health Laboratory.

A training program for individuals aspiring to become laboratory workers

was offered in 1947 by dr. Pio de Roda, in collaboration with Dr. Prudencia
Sta. Ana. Trainees were mostly high school graduates and paramedical
graduates. The training proved to be ineffective because the trainees were
never motivated and there was no program that was supposed to last for a
definite period and no certificates were issued to trainees.
 Realizing this, Dr. Pio de Roda instructed Dr. Sta. Ana to prepare a
formal syllabus of the training program. In 1954, the training began using a
syllabus and it was to last for 6 months. A short while after Dr. Briones joined
the two.

The training program offered by Dr. Pio de Roda did not last long, for
during the same year, the formal education of Medical Technology in the
Philippines began.

PAMET

The Philippine Association of Medical Technologist, Inc.(PAMET, Inc.) is

the national organization of all registered medical technologist in the
Philippines. It is a non-stock profit organization.

Mr. Crisanto G. Almario at the Public Health Laboratory in Sta. Cruz,

Manila, organized it on September 15, 1963. He is "The Father of PAMET".

It had its first convention and election of officers on September 20, 1964
at the Far Easter University where in Mr. Charlemagne Tamondong became
the first president.

It was incorporated and registered at the Securities mid Exchange

Commission on October 14, 1969 with Reg. No. 39570, during the presidency
of Mr. Nardito D. Moraleta.

On June 21, 1969, R.A. 5527 also known as the Philippine Medical
Technology Act was enacted into law.

On June 22, 1973, P.D.223 was approved creating the Professional

Regulation Commission (PRC). PAMET was officially recognized as the only
Accredited Professional Organization (APO) of registered Medical
Technologists in the Philippines.

PAMET is a national body with forty-six (46) chapters nationwide

totaling to more than twelve thousand (12,000) members.

PAMET is affiliated with other local professional associations namely

Council Of Professional Health Associations (COPHA), Philippine Federation
of Professional Associations (PFPA), Council of Health Agencies (CHAP) and
Philippine Council for Quality Assurance in Clinical Laboratories (PCQACL).

Internationally, PAMET is affiliated with ASEAN Association of Clinical

Laboratory Sciences (AACLS), Asia Association of Medical Laboratory
Scientists (AAMLS), International Federation of Biomedical Laboratory
Scientists (IFBLS) and Asia-Pacific Federation of Clinical Biochemistry
(APFCB).

PASMETH
 PASMETH is the national organization of all recognized schools of
Medical Technology in the Philippines. It was formed in 1970 in the hopes of
maintaining the highest standards of Medical Technology/Public Health
education and to foster closer relations among these schools.

On May 13, 1970, Director Narciso Albarracin appointed Dr. Serafin

Juliano and Dr. Gustavo U. Reyes to organize an association of Deans/Heads
of Schools of Medical Technology and Hygiene. The first organizational
meeting was held at the University of Santo Tomas on June 22, 1970. Dr.
Gustavo Reyes became the first president of PASMETH.

It was formally registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission

on October 6, 1985 thru the Committee on Legislation chaired by Mr. Cirilo S.
Cajucom with the help of a legal counsel, Atty. Dexter Bihis.

SCHOOLS offering MTS courses in the Philippines

 ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY OF THE  DE OCAMPO MEMORIAL COLLEGES

PHILIPPINES
 AGO FOUNDATION COLLEGE
 AGO MEDICAL & EDUCATIONAL
CENTERBICOL
 CHRISTIAN COLL.OF MED
 ANGELES UNIVERSITY
FOUNDATION
 ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY
 BRENT HOSPITAL, INC.-
ZAMBOANGA CITY
 BUTUAN DOCTORS COLLEGE
(BUTUAN DR. HSP. SCH. OF
NRSNG.)
 CAGAYAN STATE
UNIVERSITYTUGUEGARAO
 CALAYAN EDUCATIONAL
FOUNDATION INC.(MEDICAL
CENTER LUCENA)
 CEBU DOCTORS UNIVERSITY
 CENTRAL LUZON DOCTOR'S
HOSPITAL
 EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
 CENTRAL PHILIPPINE UNIVERSITY
 CENTRO ESCOLAR UNIVERSITY-
MANILA
 COLEGIO DE SAN AGUSTIN-
BACOLOD
 COLEGIO DE SAN LORENZO RUIZ
DE MANILA, INC.
 COLLEGE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT OF
MANILA
 NUEVA ECIJA COLLEGE
 OUR LADY OF FATIMA
UNIVERSITYVALENZUELA
 PHILIPPINE WOMEN'S UNIVERSITY
MANILA
 DIPOLOG MEDICAL CENTER COLLEGE
FOUNDATION, INC
 DR. CARLOS S. LANTING COLLEGE-Q.
C.
 DR. P. OCAMPO COLLEGES
 EMILIO AGUINALDO COLLEGE-MANILA
 FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY-NICANOR
 REYES MEDICAL FOUNDATION
 FATIMA MEDICAL SCIENCE
FOUNDATION, INC.-VALENZUELA
 ILIGAN MEDICAL CENTER COLLEGE,
INC.
 ILOILO DOCTORS' COLLEGE
 LORMA COLLEGE
 LYCEUM NORTHWESTERN
 LYCEUM OF BATANGAS
 MANILA CENTRAL
UNIVERSITYCALOOCAN CITY
 MAPANDI MEMORIAL COLLEGE
 MARTINEZ MEMORIAL COLLEGE
 MEDINA COLLEGE-OZAMIS CITY
 MEDINA COLLEGE-PAGADIAN
(ST.JOHN GEN. HOSP.& COLL.)
 MINDANAO MEDICAL FOUNDATION
COLLEGE
 MINDANAO SANITARIUM & HOSPITAL
 COLLEGE OF MEDICAL ARTS FNDTN
 MISAMIS UNIVERSITY-OZAMIS CITY
 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
 NOTRE DAME OF MARBEL UNIVERSITY
 REMEDIOS T. ROMUALDEZ MEDICAL
FOUNDATION
 RIVERSIDE COLLEGE
 SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY
 SAN JUAN DE DIOS EDUCATIONAL
 FOUNDATION, INC
 SAN PEDRO COLLEGE-DAVAO CITY
 SILLIMAN UNIVERSITY
 SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
 ST. SCHOLASTICA'S COLLEGE OF
HEALTH SCIENCES-TACLOBAN
 THE GOOD SAMARITAN COLLEGES
CABANATUAN CITY
 TRINITY UNIVERSITY OF ASIA
(TRINITYQC)
 UNCIANO COLLEGES & MEDICAL
CENTER-ANTIPOLO
 UNIVERSIDAD DE ZAMBOANGA
(ZAEC)
 UNIVERSITY OF BAGUIO
 UNIVERSITY OF LA SALETTE-
SANTIAGO
 UNIVERSITY OF LUZON (LUZON COLL.)
 UNIVERSITY OF NEGROS
OCCIDENTALRECOLETOS
 UNIVERSITY OF PANGASINAN
 UNIVERSITY OF PERPETUAL HELP
RIZAL-CALAMBA CAMPUS
 UNIVERSITY OF PERPETUAL HELP
RIZAL-LAS PINAS
 UNIVERSITY OF PERPETUAL HELP
SYSTEM-LAGUNA
 UNIVERSITY OF SAN AGUSTIN
 UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
 UNIVERSITY OF THE IMMACULATE
CONCEPTION-DAVAO
 UNIVERSITY OF THE
PHILIPPINESMANILA
 UNIVERSITY OF THE
PHILIPPINESVISAYAS-ILOILO CITY
 VELEZ COLLEGE
 VIRGEN MILAGROSA UNIVERSITY
FOUNDATION