Ayala Healthcare allots P1.3 B for FamilyDOC expansion

MANILA, Philippines -  Ayala Healthcare Holdings Inc. (AC Health) has earmarked P1.3 billion to complete the construction of 100 FamilyDOC clinics across the country by 2020.

FamilyDOC general manager Paul Darroca said the company is ramping up its expansion program as it looks to end the year with 24 branches, and then plans to add another 30 next year.

 “We will be moving from south going to as far north by next year. We identified already where the big communities are to support and we started to look at several sites already for next year,” he said.

AC Health currently has 11 FamilyDOC clinics located in Las Piñas, Parañaque and Cavite.

By year-end, Darroca said there would be six FamilyDOC clinics in Parañaque, Cavite and Las Piñas, respectively, as well as six in the Pasig-Taguig-Pateros cluster.

FamilyDOC’s expansion aims to extend the reach of affordable and accessible healthcare to various communities in the country.

FamilyDOC is a primary care facility offering the services of a clinic, diagnostic facility and pharmacy.

 “AC Health recognizes the gaps in primary healthcare in the Philippines and seeks to address the current challenges such as long wait times and the unavailability of doctors and staff. We recognize that middle-class patients are underserved, but willing to pay for quality healthcare if it gives them good value for money,” Darroca said.

To further address the health needs of middle to low-income Filipino patients, AC Health is strengthening its partnership with the healthcare unit of global digital industrial giant GE.

GE Healthcare started off as a technology provider to AC Health and their relationship progressed to a partnership with a memorandum of understanding signed in 2015.

GE Healthcare is helping the country meet the rising demands for healthcare by providing innovative solutions to improve the accessibility and affordability of quality healthcare.

 “An effective way to enhance health system responsiveness is to make quality healthcare services available in communities. By combining innovative delivery models such as that of FamilyDOC’s with GE Healthcare’s innovative technologies, we believe that the Philippine healthcare system will get closer to its much-needed upgrade, and bring affordable and quality healthcare within reach of middle to low-income Filipinos,” Darroca said.