By Annabel Consuelo Petinglay
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The provincial board this week will discuss with officials of the provincial and district hospitals in Antique how to address the lack of complete clinical laboratory services in their health facilities.
Antique provincial board member Egidio Elio, a doctor by profession, raised the concern in a privilege speech he delivered Monday during their regular session, believing that they could do something to help improve the delivery of health services.
“The laboratory examinations such as on creatinine, uric acid, and lipid profile are necessary for a doctor to come up with the right diagnosis and treatment of patients,” Elio said in a follow-up interview on Tuesday.
He said a day of delay in laboratory examination and treatment may already seem an eternity for a patient.
The Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital (ASMGH), or the provincial hospital, offers 13 blood chemistry and hematology tests, including cholesterol, triglycerides, sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, complete blood count, blood typing, hemoglobin and hematocrit, actual platelet count, bleeding time and clotting time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate.
“Many problems at the hospital could not be solved instantly, but I believe the legislative body could help address the most pressing issues through the legislation,” he said.
During the session, board member Roni Molina requested a meeting with ASMGH chief Dr. Jose Lyndion Perez and chiefs of seven district hospitals for a holistic approach to addressing the problem.
Patients resort to private hospitals and clinics and shell out from their pockets for clinical laboratory examinations. (PNA)
