Doctors Got Talent

VSMMC MEDICINE WEEK 2017

The celebration of the VSMMC Medicine Week has been one smash hit after another, beginning with the Monday morning flag ceremony and opening of exhibits of each departments' best practices.  OBGYN was assigned the color RED and we had the opportunity for a photo with the Executive Committee.

The Medicine Week 2017 coincided with the birthday celebration of our medical center chief, Dr. Gerardo M. Aquino Jr, whom we greeted with serenade and dance.  There was also a special video made in honor of our chief of ten (10) years.




Considering the importance of research in our residency training, there was a Research Oral Presentation Contest for Residents, and as the training officer of our department, I am proud that three out of ten finalists were OBGYN residents.

Dr. Jalilah Abedin presented her research on Surgical Site Infections (SSI), Dr Cindivy Rupita presented her research on Hepatitis B infection in pregnancy and Dr. Karen Kris Balbosa presented her research on Anemia in Pregnancy.

The whole week we had public health lectures on different relevant topics at the outpatient department.  The VSMMC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology also had a voluntary blood letting activity for the benefit of the patients entitled "Save a Mother from Hemorrhage" and we thank all 28 donors who braved the rain and squeezed in time to donate despite the highly hectic schedule.

  

The next bloodletting activity will be on March 30, 2018.  

The grand finale of the Medicine Week 2017 was a showcase of the other talents of VSMMC doctors.  Much in the same theme as UP-PGH "Tao Rin Pala", the VSMMC Doctors Got Talent is a great way to show camaraderie and teamwork between consultants and residents and between different departments.

The VSMMC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology put on a great performance themed "OBGYN Divas" considering their "one night only" practice due to the intensively hectic schedule.

 

Topping off the night was a raffle draw of the Nissan Almeera (which went to a clerk at the information desk, congratulations mam!), a Samsung Galaxy Book (which Dr. Princess Lorezo of OBGYN won) and a smart TV (which Dr. Cindivy Rupita of OBGYN won).

My take on this is that if this will become an annual event, then there must be more planning than just "one night only"

USE OF TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE MATERNAL HEALTH

How do we keep our mothers from dying?

Reducing maternal mortality was one of the millennium development goals (MDG) which the Philippines was not able to meet, despite all the government funds allotted for programs and intervention.  In our own local professional society, more than 90% of maternal deaths occur in the overcrowded congested government hospital.  Many of the patients present too late to prevent death. Hypertensive complications and hemorrhage is the most common causes of death. 

In response to the MDGs, the Department of Health (DOH) issued Administrative Order 2008-0029 “Implementing Health Reforms for Rapid Reduction of Maternal and Neonatal Mortality” which provides for several interventions in the Maternal, Newborn, Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN) program including the Essential Intrapartum and Newborn Care (EINC, also known as Unang Yakap or First Embrace), Lactation Management trainings (LMET), Basic Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (BEmONC) among other programs.  We wonder if any of these efforts are making a dent in improving maternal care.  Health policy groups have studied ten years of Philippine health service delivery and have shown very minimal change in health statistics across all programs.

During a regional conference on research and innovation, we came across the RxBox which contains a blood pressure apparatus, a fetal monitor, maternal tocometer and other functions all rolled into one.  This is expected to empower healthcare workers in hard to reach place with the diagnostic abilities of higher levels of care.  How has this been employed in our communities?

In this era of research, innovation, information communication technology and social media, what other technologies are available which we have not yet maximized to reduce maternal deaths and improve maternal health in your area?

What are the challenges to maternal health in your area?

What technologies are available to improve maternal health?

What is the role of social media in improving maternal health?