ACE Medical Center: Innovative, affordable healthcare for Filipinos

MANILA, Philippines -  An air ambulance service called Carejet Assist, state-of-the art hospital facilities even in provinces, “portable” or “any hospital branch” membership cards  these are some of the innovative services Allied Care Experts (ACE) Medical Center is offering and will be introducing into the local healthcare industry.

“We want to offer affordable quality healthcare to the people. At present, big hospitals and Health Maintenance Organization (HMOs) are all located in Manila. Patients in the provinces have to travel, even fly to Manila just to get tests and treatments. The ACE Medical Center hopes to meet that vital need,” Dr. Amado Enriquez, founding chairman of the ACE Medical Center Group said.

Based on a study by the UP School of Economics, Dr. Enriquez said there was no growth in the country’s healthcare industry from 1991-2016 despite the steady increase in population.

However, unlike other countries which allot eight to 10 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) for healthcare services, the Philippines allots only four percent. Thus, there is a big gap to fill in the healthcare industry. This led to the commitment of ACE Medical Center Inc. to continue building hospitals where they are needed.

At present, there are ACE Medical Centers in Valenzuela and Baliwag which are fully operational since its completion in 2015. Just recently, ACE Medical Center in Pateros was given the green light to operate by the Department of Health. In addition, ACE Medical Center in Quezon City will be completed this August. The company has also started initial work on its Mandaluyong and Malolos, Bulacan hospitals.

In Luzon, hospitals will be built by ACE Medical in Legaspi, Bicol and Puerto Princesa this year. Meanwhile, eight hospitals are scheduled to be built in the Visayas namely: Bohol, Iloilo, Cebu, Dumaguete, Tacloban,Bacolod and two hospitals in Negros Occidental.

The Bohol and Iloilo hospitals will be accredited as offshore health care service providers.

In Mindanao, the company is eyeing to build five hospitals in Zamboanga, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, and Dipolog.

Each ACE Medical Center hospital has a 100 to 250-bed capacity depending on the location and need of the place. All these hospitals have state-of the-art facilities and medical equipment.

One of the existing hospitals under its portfolio, the Baypointe in Subic even has an air ambulance or sea plane that can transport patients by air when necessary. Called Carejet Assist, it uses a sea plane equipped with the necessary medical equipment to airlift patients needing immediate medical services.

Dr. Enriquez said the company’s business model where they accept doctors as part owners of the hospital is one of the strengths of the ACE Medical Center group. At present, hospitals are usually owned by foundations or private individuals or families. As such, doctors simply work or are treated as professionals with little or no input at all in the management and future of the hospital.

“By giving doctors a chance to be part owner of the hospital where they work, they become more inspired; and are able to give their full attention to their patients,” Dr. Enriquez said.