Ma. Susana I. Arcan Mr.

Sev Sarmenta, PhD

Student Number 147023 Seminar in Public Relations

MAHIRAP MAGKASAKIT

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I initially thought of expressing a negative view on the health topic, where health is not readily
available to everyone. It was a double-edged blade for me to discuss this, since having experienced
both the benefits and setback of Philippine health services, I may come up with a long list of praises
as well as criticisms. However, by twist of fate, my view on this somehow made a turnaround.

When I gave birth to my second child, I had his vaccine shots done at the barangay health center. All
except one which I believe was most important for babies – the hepatitis B vaccine. The reason? I did
not have my prenatal at the health center which meant I can afford a private doctor so I can also afford
the expensive vaccine.

Next, I cannot understand why I seldom get sick yet when I get sick, I always land in the hospital.
Not really unusual but the hospitals I have been admitted to were “5-star hotels.” Their rates are like
being given the executive suites in hotels that for me, when you say health is wealth, it meant in order
to be healthy, I also have to be wealthy.

Just like the situations faced by a lot of my fellow Filipinos, my family also got into that promissory
note arrangement where we cannot check out of the hospital unless all bills are paid for, including the
professional fees of doctors who I thought are immaculately-dressed robbers.

However, my disgust with the medical world made an about-face when my mom had a heart attack,
went into coma and we had no choice but to have her admitted at the Medical Center Manila,
otherwise known as ManilaMed. She had to be placed in the intensive management unit (IMU) and
we had to make a P60,000 deposit to cover the foreseen expenses of mom. For us who had no other
income except that which we earn through hard work, that is already a big amount. I know it is against
the law that to be admitted, patients have to make a deposit, but we all want mom to recover so we
had to part with that big amount.

We were already thinking that the bill would skyrocket within hours, my sister even said that it would
just be like an illegal taxicab meter. So we agreed that every day, we would get a copy of the
progressive bill which would make it easier for us to mentally do pencil-eraser math.

The first statement of account that I got surprised me a bit. For 24 hours, including the emergency
room expenses, the bill was only P44,000.00 which I knew was relatively low considering the
equipment and medicines they used to revive my mom. Add to that the actual expense at the IMU.
I still won’t believe so after another 24 hours, I went to the billing section to check for a major increase
in the expenses. Whoa! It was still below a hundred thousand. I had to ask the person in charge of the
billing section if all expenses reflected in the bill were updated. She said it was. Hmmmm, I still felt
that maybe everything will be added in the end bill.
I discussed this with my brother who was always a believer of anything positive. He said he knew
they cannot make hidden charges as it is against the law. Of course, being a health provider, they
cannot afford to be faced with suits. When we looked at every detail of the statement, we saw that the
professional fees of the attending physicians are reflected there. Funny, in all the other hospitals we
have been to, all doctors’ fees are discussed and paid at the doctors’ offices. Also, not one of our
previous attending physicians charged lower than P25,000. If we cannot pay them, we need to issue
a promissory note for each of these doctors. So we do not pay up, we can be sued, right? Again, for
me, this was interesting.

What is also good about ManilaMed, they never administered any test nor medicines to my mom
without first letting us know when and why they have to be done. When my mom’s condition
worsened, they told explained to us that there are things which may work yet they won’t recommend
because it would be useless to do so. There were medicines which were injected to mom which may
be continued yet cannot guarantee she will wake up. So even if they were already ordered and brought
to the IMU, they may still be returned to lessen the bill.

By Divine Intervention, my mother chose to sleep forever. Though we may be emotionally prepared,
financially we were not. Our net bill left us with a balance of P70,000.00. We have exhausted all
means and sources to pull up the amount but to no avail. We had to muster courage, lots of it, ask for
some grace period to settle the mount, in order for us to claim for our mom’s remains and lay her to
rest. We were asked to issue a promissory note in lieu of a post-dated check. With the promissory
note, we were also faced with the task of telling her doctors that their fees will be delayed because
our funds were not enough.

After a few minutes (yes, a few minutes) of running around, the physicians advised the billing section
that we were cleared and that mom may be released. It was really surprising for me because we had
the same experience with mom’s sister whose remains were not released to us until after almost 36
hours that we all thought that it was tough to get sick yet tougher to die.

PROGNOSIS

I asked my brother who owns ManilaMed and apparently, it is now owned by the United Laboratories
Group of Companies or Unilab. I had worked with Unilab years ago for some of their events and I
knew what it was like to work with them. They value their stakeholders so much that now, they have
RiteMed.

Learning about this, I realized that just like in Dr. Ned Roberto’s article, “What’s brand positioning
via corporate reputation?” ManilaMed is not just about the product brand but the corporate brand.
With this, it meant that when the services are related to the corporate brand and its quality, the
company as a source of quality services is referred to.

Also, ManilaMed’s services may be lower in rates compared with all the hospitals cum hotels yet the
quality is never compromised. In fact, we never encountered any snobbish nor easily irritated staff.
They were all courteous, ready to lend a hand, answer queries and be of service to anyone, patient or
not.

This actually answered one of the questions which I kept at the back of my mind during mom’s
confinement. People we met at the waiting area near the IMU came all the way from Bulacan and
Cavite. I am sure there are nearer hospitals there. Yet they chose to go to ManilaMed. People will
really go to this hospital because of the people connected with it, services and all.
I believe this is what Ron Jabal’s “Public Relations in PH: It’s a ‘love’ thing, too” calls
“lovemarks.” The hospital has gone out and beyond its being just a hospital. Their orientation of
being people- and service-centered establishment has endeared them to their patients. Well, not that
anyone would like to be admitted in any hospital. But if you want to get well instead of worsen or die
because of the bills and disgusting staff, then you would prefer ManilaMed, even if you have to cross
the seven seas and climb the Everest.

THE CURE

I think this is what the government should endeavor on, to try to softly regulate the medical industry.
And with this ‘regulating’ efforts, they should also be alert, vigilant and punitive for errant
establishments. I understand that the medical profession as well as medicine production entail costs,
real costs that dictate them to charge for their services and price their products respectively at a rate
that burns a hole in our pockets. Yet, if they provide products and services which are lower, they also
get a bigger share in the market so the amount lost in lowering their rates will eventually just get back
through more clientele.

I know that the government has come up with the cheaper medicines law or the generics act which
provide lower-priced medicines. However, doctors sometimes prescribe medicines which have no
generics brand equivalent. Maybe it would be best if the companies producing medicines will follow
a specific list of generic brands which will allow the consumer to either buy the brand or buy the
generic counterpart as prescribed.

Relative to the above, pharmaceutical companies should provide a seminar on all, if not every new
drug or medicine they produce/discover. This may be done during the annual doctors’ convention so
that they would inform most of the doctors who may prescribe their medicines.

Lastly, other companies which are not in the health care and medicines industry may also help by
including in their plans health-related activities. I am sure health is not only the concern of those who
are sick or those who are in the health industry but practically a concern of everyone. This should
push other private companies to involve themselves in community service. I remember a friend of
mine, whose company was involved in publications, had an event before where they sponsored, in
cooperation with Glaxo Philippines, a short seminar on cervical cancer and attendees got a shot each
of the vaccine which the pharmaceutical company was promoting. I think an activity of the same
nature as the above would be good to organize and conduct for non-healthcare industries.

DISCHARGE

Indeed, health is wealth. It is a concern of everyone, not because it makes one rich financially, but
because it makes one rich with life. I am not in any way directly promoting a certain hospital. All I’m
saying is that if you need the care towards better health, I would mention it to you as a first-opinion
entity. Also, this may give other hospitals and health care units to revisit their cause and cost so that
health is readily available to every Juan and all.
Individual
Reflection
Paper
 EducHealth
PR Campaign for NUPRU

Submitted by:
Roel U. Hernandez
Ma. Susana Isla-Arcan