Eastern Visayas Medical Center bags Gold Trailblazer in its Proficiency Revalida

By Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA)
November 21, 2023

MANILA – In a remarkable stride towards excellence, the Eastern Visayas Medical Center (EVMC) proudly unveiled its transformative journey and recent accomplishments along the Performance Governance System (PGS) pathway, securing the prestigious Gold Trailblazer Award for its commendable progress.

On November 20, EVMC was conferred the PGS Proficient Status during the Institute for Solidarity in Asia’s (ISA) Public Revalida. This democratic exercise validates the successful completion of the four stages of the PGS, ISA's good governance program, where distinguished organizations, including the Department of Health, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Department of Trade and Industry, have engaged in and completed.

EVMC Medical Center Chief, Dr. Salvador Evardone, presented the challenges and the initiatives they took to turn their strategic position into reality. In its pursuit of becoming a center of excellence in health by 2030, EVMC envisions itself as a “1,500-authorized bed capacity apex medical center, providing multi-specialty services by 2028.”

From its humble beginnings as a 100-bed capacity general hospital in Tacloban City, formerly known as the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, EVMC’s transformation journey began in November 2019, when they were conferred with the PGS Initiated Status. Amid the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital underwent a strategic refresh, achieving breakthroughs in patient care, human resources, and research.

EVMC’s PGS journey was conveyed in Dr. Evardone’s presentation, with their unwavering commitment to creating positive change in the healthcare industry and attaining several milestones targeted at the areas mentioned in their strategic position, EVMC has gained the support of numerous reputable organizations and external stakeholders from various sectors.

Among the notable achievements highlighted is the enactment of Republic Act 11567, signed by former President Rodrigo Duterte, renaming the institution to Eastern Visayas Medical Center and increasing its bed capacity from 500 to 1,500 beds on June 24, 2021. Additionally, EVMC emphasized the establishment of specialty centers in Cardiology, Neonatal Care, Geriatric Care, and Orthopedics, benefiting the Eastern Visayas community.

Alongside their developments are challenges that EVMC needs to address, which were underlined during the panel evaluation led by Former Medical Field Operations Director at Wyeth Philippines, Mr. Orlando Clavinez. Aside from establishing multiple specialty centers in EVMC, Dr. Evardone shared that they are tackling challenges involving human resources by increasing the competencies of their workforce.

“So one of the challenges, actually, is the manpower, [...] We need to capacitate; we have to invest capital asset, considering that it is a resource and capital incentive in putting some specialty centers,” Dr. Evardone shared.

Dr. Evardone also shared their Multi-Sectoral Governance Council’s (MSGC) commitment toward the growth of EVMC. He highlighted that creating rapport and having a dedicated MSGC is vital to an organization’s development along the PGS pathway.

“The lesson here is that we should make them stay with us, expand the membership if possible, and engross their commitment toward ownership of good governance and the change agenda that we have. The commitment itself translated to ownership and accountability to help us assess the growth of EVMC,” the Medical Center Chief said.

Usec. Francia Laxamana, Undersecretary of Health of the Office of Special Concerns in the Department of Health, commended EVMC for its transformation, noting its evolution into a significant regional healthcare institution with multiple functional specialty centers.

“EVMC has transformed from just a small hospital to now a giant, gigantic hospital as it is, and with all the 16 specialty centers...because most of them started from 70% functionality, even up to 96 to 98%. [Y]ou really are very conscious, committed to be the apex hospital. And you're looking at a very important role, which is your stewardship role as the apex hospital of the Eastern Visayas region,” Usec. Laxamana said.

Following their conferral of the Proficiency status and receiving the Gold Trailblazer Award, Dr. Evardone extended his gratitude to external stakeholders, the panelists, and all their employees.