In collaboration with the Philippine Heart Association (PHA), The Medical City (TMC), comprising five hospitals and nearly 70 clinics across the nation, participated in National CPR Day on July 17, 2024. This initiative is part of a nationwide effort to equip Filipinos with essential lifesaving skills and increase community readiness in responding to cardiac emergencies.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is a critical lifesaving technique used in emergencies when a person experiences sudden cardiac arrest, with the heart stopping or beating too ineffectively to circulate blood to the brain and other vital organs.
During the event, TMC provided comprehensive CPR training programs across its locations, including Iloilo City, ensuring a broad reach and accessibility. Community members were given training to do hands-only CPR, the recommended first aid that applies to untrained bystanders and first responders. The training sessions were led by TMC Iloilo Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Kristy Garganera and TMC Iloilo Emergency Medicine Specialist Dr. Sally-Mae Abelanes.
Over 80 participants composed of members of the Senior Citizens Federated Associations of Iloilo, Inc. and Iloilo Provincial Capitol employees participated in the said event.
In the training sessions, participants learned the 5Cs of CPR: check (assess the victim from a safe distance), call (call for urgent medical help), cover (protect both the victim and rescuer), compress (perform hands-only CPR), and connect (use a defibrillator if available). These five keywords are crucial for a lay rescuer to memorize in order to successfully perform lifesaving CPR. By joining this nationwide activity, TMC reaffirms its dedication to providing healthcare accessibility to its communities.
As the Heart Care Capital of Western Visayas, TMC Iloilo is the first private hospital in the region to open a Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory in 2010. With 13 years of heart care expertise, TMC Iloilo achieved a procedural success rate of 99.42% which is the highest in the Western Visayas and done 3,500 procedures and counting.
Meanwhile, as the leader in cardiac care, TMC Ortigas’ Heart Attack Program, or the Acute Myocardial Infarction Clinical Care Program, is the first program of its kind to be accredited by the Joint Commission International. This distinction guarantees that a heart attack patient who walks through the doors of the hospital’s Emergency Department will have the blocked coronary artery opened in the Catheterization Laboratory within 90 minutes.
In July, TMC launched a network-wide cardiovascular health campaign titled “One Heart, One City: United in Heart Health.” The campaign aims to help every Filipino reach optimal heart health by offering a comprehensive cardiac care program, from prevention to treatment and rehabilitation, while leveraging its vast network.
True to its mission of shaping how health services are accessed by and delivered to patients, TMC will also organize the Heart Attack Ready Hospital Forum for medical professionals, specifically cardiologists, internal medicine specialists, and emergency specialists from different hospitals. Hosted by heart attack specialists from TMC network sites, this event is in preparation for the hub and spoke model being established by the institution. Through this model, they will partner with hospitals in all areas within the vicinity of a TMC hospital to equip health professionals and medical institutions with essential information on cardiovascular care, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes.
Apart from these activities, TMC Ortigas, TMC South Luzon, TMC Clark, TMC Pangasinan, TMC Iloilo, and TMC Clinic will also be launching “Heart Care Revolution,” an event that aims to engage communities and corporate partners to achieve a heart-healthy lifestyle through physical exercise. Each network site will mount a Heart Care Revolution Booth with a stationary bike. The participant with the longest distance biked within the given period will win a prize.
In its active pursuit of shaping how Filipinos think, feel, and behave about health, TMC will launch a Heart Risk Calculator that patients can access through their website to learn about their risk of heart disease.
With these initiatives, TMC aims to encourage patients to take a proactive approach to their heart health.
For more information, tune in to The Medical City Iloilo Facebook Page or visit www.themedicalcityiloilo.com.
