BAGUIO CITY – The Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) offers no balance billing for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) in need of medical procedures and surgery for aged hips and joints that need replacement.
Dr. Justinano S. Bai, Medical Officer II of the BGHMC Department of Orthopaedic, said the osteoarthritis surgery for senior citizens and PWDs is available for free by the hospital to the said sectors to ensure their free mobility.
However, he explained that those who can benefit from the said surgery will undergo stringent evaluation and assessment of their condition to make sure that they really need the replacement of their hips and joints or if they are capable of surviving the said medical procedure.
“We have to subject our patients to a stringent evaluation and assessment to ensure that they are qualified to undergo the medical procedure so that they can maximize the use of their replacement hips and joints to as much as fifteen years as per experience of those who already underwent the said procedure,” Bai stressed.
The BGHMC official pointed out the said medical procedure costs around P150,000 to P200,000 per surgery and management made it free for senior citizens and PWDs affected with osteoarthritis to allow them to freely move around and maximize their ability to use their hips and joints and be productive citizens of the community and the city.
According to him, the BGHMC is now implementing the no balance billing for its rapidly increasing number of patients facing similar complicated cases like the needs of senior citizens and PWDs.
He claimed there has been an increasing number of senior citizens who want to avail of the free osteoarthritis surgery offered by the hospital management but they have to hurdle the stringent criteria to avoid waste of resources.
Bai said the BGHM Department of Orthopaedic remains open to all individuals for medical consultations seeking advised on the medical procedures and medication on their joints and bones.
He reported one of their common clients include elderly who have brittle bones that is why there is a need for the elderly and their children to take extra care of the senior citizens to avoid any fall that could break or dislocate their bones and joints.
Bai advised the public to make sure that their diet includes calcium for strong bones and joints.
Further, he explained people must also make sure that they are exposed to sunlight for at least 1 to 2 hours daily from 10 am to 1 pm so that they will be able to increase their intake of Vitamin D that will contribute in strengthening their bone structure and prevent them from contracting illnesses that will compromise their health condition in the future.
By Dexter A. See
