Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 11) — The Medical City in Pasig, which has admitted eight patients with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), said Wednesday it will remain open to all patients after a leaked internal memorandum said it will stop accepting suspected infections.
Ramos said in addition to the eight COVID-19 patients, its emergency department also handled 32 people with viral infection, which “exceeded the daily load that [their] healthcare frontliners have to attend to in the emergency department.”
“The Medical City (TMC), ever so proud of its epidemic rapid response team as well as its entire hospital staff, will remain open to all patients who deserve our care, for as long as our capacity to do so allows it,” hospital president Eugenio Jose Ramos said in a statement.
Sotto said he met with the medical director of the hospital and he was assured that The Medical City is on “normal” operations and will entertain all patients.
“Kapag mayroong PUI ng COVID-19, ang protocol po nila ngayon is they will swab and test the patient. Hindi po totoo na ire-refuse nila. They will go through the necessary protocol then they will refer to another hospital or home quarantine, depende po sa kaso,” he said.
[Translation: If there is a person under investigation for COVID-19, the hospital’s protocol now is to take a swab from the patient and send it for testing. It’s not true they are refusing patients. They will undergo the necessary protocol then they will refer the patient to another hospital or send them to do home quarantine based on their situation.]
Eight of the 33 coronavirus cases in the country are currently admitted in The Medical City. This includes an 86-year-old American male who remains in critical condition.
Among the eight TMC patients is an 86-year-old American male who remains in critical condition. They are among the 33 people who tested positive for the virus.
The Department of Health’s guidelines state that all hospitals with an internal care unit and specialist doctors cannot refuse those with suspected or diagnosed with COVID-19. Only patients that are in critical condition shall be referred to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), San Lazaro Hospital, or Lung Center of the Philippines.
He said healthcare staff exposed to COVID-19 patients must be isolated for 14 days, a requirement which he said would put a strain on staff and resources.
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto earlier told CNN Philippines that TMC will begin referring COVID-19 patients to other hospitals after testing.
