Dr. Gerardo M. Aquino Jr, chief of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), shows the hospital’s new cardiac facilities. (CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO)
The Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) can now conduct coronary bypass operations on adults.
The government hospital successfully conducted its first three surgeries last week.
Dr. Jun Maximo Lasco Jr., a cardiologist, said the VSMMC is the only government hospital in the Visayas capable of conducting coronary bypass operations.
During his State of the Nation Address last year, President Aquino announced that the VSMMC was among the government-run hospitals that has been upgraded and could perform heart procedures.
The cost of the three bypass procedures was shouldered by the hospital.
The successful surgerywould hasten the inclusion of the VSMMC as one of the accredited hospitals under its Z package which covers among others heart bypass surgeries.
Heart bypass operations cost between P800,000 to P1.3 million in private hospitals.
In government hospitals, the operation would cost between P100,000 to P200,000.
“If the Z package will be approved then expenses will be subsidized by the PhilHealth and the patients will have a good outcome,” Lasco added.