KALINGA PROVINCE – To be more efficient and systematic principally in responding against COVID-19, members of the provincial board in collaboration with the medical Doctors from all private hospitals and infirmaries here in Kalinga Province joined forces to come up with an organization and agreed to establish so called “Provincial One Hospital Command Center.
In a joint meeting held by the Kalinga Task force COVID at Davidson’s Hotel, Bulanao, Tabuk City, it was discussed that The One Hospital Command Center will be a servicing unit to optimize use of critical care services in hospitals, community quarantine, and isolation facilities, and medical transport that will strengthen the health system capacity.
Provincial Governor Ferdinand Tubban who attended the joint meeting disclosed that the One Hospital Command Center (OHCC) closely work with the Provincial Inter Agency Task Force to ensure the smooth flow in giving a holistic approach or due process for every COVID patients in every health care facility in the province. He also added that with this scheme, it will facilitate and refine the referral system of non-COVID/COVID patients to where they should be treated or managed.
During the conference, skeletal framework of the command center who will work under the DOH’s system was also expound and this will be composed of a One Hospital Command Manager, Data Analytics Team, Call Center Agents, and Communications Team. Their functions and roles includes Formulate plans and strategies to ensure the success of the provision of structure and equipment such as adequate personnel for the efficient services by the operations manager, Provide working space for the duty staff, Recommend to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Province the enactment of appropriate ordinance defining measures/strategies that the Provincial One Hospital Command Center may deem necessary for effective and efficient means of establishing an operationalized center, the members shall convene every Fourth Wednesday of the month for updates and to perform the above-mentioned powers and functions. Healh System Capacity Data Analytics Risk Communication, Health facility coordination and referral, Coordination for Medical Transport, Engage Stakeholders from both Government and Private Sectors; and Ensure Adequate Critical Care Services in Hospitals while One Hospital Command Service will serve as the Call Center (Referral of Patients to Hospitals), Data Analytics on Health System Capacity, Communication; and Medical Transport.
The command center will be established inside Kalinga Provincial Hospital since the KPH has already opened its isolation facility recently on its grounds to cater COVID 19 patients. KPH will spearhead all the hospitals in the province in the referral and isolation of identified COVID 19 patients.
The PDRMMO headed by Jolanta Baac in partnership with Office the Civil Defense pledge also to conduct an intensive training centered on Incident Command System and Emergency Operations Center that will eventually equip staffs and personnel who will be manning the command center.
The blue print to institutionalize all the hospitals in the province during this pandemic was patterned after the success of the other provinces who adapted and inserted OHCC systems in their programs against COVID. One of the provinces who successfully managed COVID 19 response was the province Benguet thru the leadership of their main hospital Benguet Provincial Hospital.
Kalinga will soon launch its own OHCC with the cooperation and support of private doctors who also aims to deliver excellent healthcare services to all its people and other neighboring provinces. This will also give job opportunities to anyone in the province who have data analytical; communications; and customer support background.