How MDH Program on SARS Started
Organization of MDH Task Force SARS
On
March 28, 2003, after reading the newspapers on that day reporting increasing
incidence of SARS in China and announcing the pronouncement of Filipino
legislators who went to China that they refused to be quarantined, Dr. Reynaldo
O. Joson, then Acting Medical Director, felt the presence and threat of SARS
that would affect the stability of MDH.
He felt that it was just a matter of time when SARS would eventually be
in the Philippines.
On
that very same day, Dr. Joson called up Dr. Melecia Velmonte, the Chairperson
of the Infection Control Committee, and Dr. Roberto Ruiz, the Chairperson of
the Department of Emergency Medicine, to ask them if they already have policies
and procedures on SARS. After getting a
negative answer, right away, Dr. Joson helped Dr. Velmonte come out with a
memorandum to all hospital staff on policies on management of SARS patients as
well as the MDH Health Advisory on SARS (Q & A: How do I know if I have
SARS?) which was posted in the ER, hospital lobby, and Medical Arts Center.
April
2, 2003, Ms. Rita Wanninger, the Assistant Hospital Director, upon the recommendation
and consultation with Dr. Melecia Velmonte, verbally created MDH Task Force
SARS.
Ms.
Wanninger appointed Dr. Joson as chair of the Task Force with the following as
members:
Ms.
Rita Wanninger - Assistant
Hospital Director
Dr.
Rex Mendoza - Hospital
Administrator
Dr.
Melecia Velmonte - Infection
Control Committee Chairperson
Ms.
Mary Modesto - Infection
Control Nurse
Dr.
Roberto Ruiz -
Emergency Room
Dr.
Kelly de Leon -
Emergency Room
Ms.
Sunny Biso -
Emergency Room
Dr.
Cynthia Joy Uy - Radiology
Mr.
Rene Soriao -
Radiology
Dr.
German Castillo - Department
of Laboratory
Ms.
Sonia Ansay -
Department of Laboratory
Sr.
Jeanette Grabato - Nursing
Service
Engr.
Parocha -
Maintenance
Mr.
Henry Galang -
Maintenance
Ms.
Cherry Bautista -
Housekeeping
Ms.
Teresita Serrano -
Information/Admitting Section
Dr.
Eugene Cu - Chief
Resident
Dr.
Edison Guerrero - Senior
Resident, Dept. of IM
Note:
There were changes in membership in subsequent meetings of Task Force.
Initially,
simply communicated by the Assistant Hospital Director to Dr. Joson, the
responsibility of the Task Force SARS was to manage the SARS problem that might
confront the hospital.
On
April 4, 2003, the first organizational meeting of the MDH Task Force SARS was
held.
The
following goal and tasks were formulated:
Goal:
To
effectively and efficiently manage, in terms of prevention and control, SEVERE
ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME (SARS) in Manila Doctors Hospital (MDH).
Tasks:
1.
To
formulate hospital-wide policies and strategies in the prevention and control
of SARS in MDH.
2.
To
supervise and coordinate the implementation of the formulated policies and
strategies.
3.
To
evaluate the MDH SARS prevention and control program.
Targets:
Evaluation
Criteria: Prevention and control of SARS criteria
Evaluation
Parameters:
Prevention:
NO SARS patient admitted in MDH
Control:
If there is a SARS patient in MDH,
NO staff infected with SARS
NO client (patient) infected
with SARS
No mortality from SARS
Bases:
If MDH is known to have a
SARS patient
Public
will avoid MDH
Health Service
Development DOWN
If
unavoidably, MDH will have a SARS patient
NO staff infected
with SARS
NO client (patient)
infected with SARS
No
mortality from SARS
Health
Service Development UP (hopefully)