I have fear of hospitals, especially the ones in the Philippines that are filled with grumpy receptionists and cold medical staff. They add darkness to the dreary halls of the facility. So imagine my delight when I found out that my hometown has a new state-of-the-art hospital.

A few weeks ago, a mosquito welcomed our head paragliding pilot who just arrived in our province. Master Pyro stayed in the hospital for 5 days and 4 nights for Dengue Fever.

For a small quiet town, we had an extraordinary experience in this new hospital.

7 REASONS WHY SALUBRIS MEDICAL CENTER IS IMPRESSIVE

1. THE STRUCTURE IS SPACIOUS

The lobby is well-lit and airy.

The emergency room is not ghastly.

Just this patient creating drama…

The parking lot has a nice view of our mountain ranges. Probinsya feels!

2. THE ROOMS ARE BIG AND CLEAN

Because the building is new, the rooms are bright and orderly.

Pyro was confined in a semi-private room. He had no roommate for the first few days so the paragliding team came to work.

The room price was competitive, cheaper than most hospitals I’ve been to. Freebies include a pillow and this bag of necessities.

3. THEY HAVE A CHAPEL AND A MINI GARDEN

For me, this is a big plus. It’s comforting to have a quiet place to go to for spiritual solitude or to be reminded that there is a God who walks through your pain.

The garden is small but that patch of green already refreshes the soul.

4. FOOD IS AN UPGRADE

For a provincial hospital, the food presentation is notable. The portions are patient-friendly. More than the food itself, I liked that the staff who served and collected the dishes were very kind.

For the hospital, I suggest to customize some meals for foreign patients. Pyro didn’t eat much the first few days. He had no appetite and most of the food didn’t entice his Korean taste buds.

So we asked his doctor if we could include homemade kimchi in his meals, just so he eats a bit more. When his doctor said ok, this patient was happy…

The hospital has a canteen for guests, family members and patients.

5. THEY HAVE A CAFE

Mrs. B’s Juice and Coffee Bar saves the day for us. Their products are tasty and the ambiance doesn’t feel like inside a hospital… until you see patients with their dextrose stands.

We met here for paragliding discussions.

6. SERVICE IS AN UPGRADE

I saw the efforts of the hospital staff to be friendly. The guards, the admissions people, the cashier, the cleaners – they all did their best to be accommodating. The service standard is a step up, a big improvement for our province.

However, the HMO people need more good vibes.

To all of Pyro’s nurses, we thank you for being nice and pleasant to him. He now has a first hand experience of Filipino nurses’ hospitality.Shoutout to nurse Mia from the emergency department and nurse Randy. They made extra efforts to talk to Pyro and make him more comfortable.

7. THEY HAVE DR. MICHELLE DAYAG

I think the best part of this hospital is this wonderful doctor.

I’ve had so many bad experiences with doctors that I have become wary of them. When I first saw her my initial response was indifference.

But when she leaned over at our patient and said in the kindest voice, “we need to take care of you because you are our visitor,” I was entranced.

Dr. Michelle Dayag is one of those doctors that you fall in love with. Her warm and genuine personality is rare in doctors nowadays. When she visits a patient, she explains the diagnosis or results well and makes sure the patient understands what’s happening. You won’t feel rushed at all. She is gracious with her professional fee and is very giving. I was surprised.

You know she’s awesome because wherever she goes, you see patients greeting, smiling and waving at her. Even Pyro said, “we need her as our team doctor for paragliding pilots.”

There are only 2 points I’d like to rant about.

WEAK WIFI SERVICE AND PHONE SIGNAL
In our 5 days in the hospital, we couldn’t connect properly to the wifi from our room. There was no mobile phone signal as well. We had to go up to the cafe or lingered along public spaces near the windows to send or receive messages.

For some of us, the internet is our lifeline. I hope in the future, they give free wifi for all, not just 1 access per patient like now.

UNRELIABLE ATM MACHINES

I was happy to see an ATM machine inside the hospital. But I was disappointed when it wasn’t working on the day of our release. We had to visit all the ATM machines nearby the hospital just to find one that was working.

Taken from the Latin word that means “healthy” or “wellness”, the Salubris Medical Center provides outpatient and emergency medical services, an intensive care unit, specialty services, an operating room, a dialysis center, a rehab center for occupational therapy, and a spa & wellness center.

This 133-bed facility is known to be “a hospital of the masses”. During its development, the founders of the hospital rallied the common folks, like the local farmers and teachers, to invest their money to help build the center. Click here to know more about how the Novo Vizcayanos pitched in to build this high-class hospital.

In the past, I was scared to get sick every time I visited home. But now, I’m proud to say we have a hospital that is the “St. Lukes” and the “Makati Med” of Nueva Vizcaya.

Thank you for keeping our pilot alive!

Looking forward to seeing more brilliant doctors, superior machines and exceptional service!