By Estanislao Albano, Jr. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) awarded
the Almora General Hospital in Bulanao, Tabuk City, Kalinga with the
SME Star Elite Awards as the best among small enterprises in the region.
Endorsed by the DTI-Kalinga, the recognition is for the best
exemplification of the criteria for a progressive small business. A
small business has a capitalization of P10 million to P100 million.
Dr. Jaime Alrmora received the award from DTI Regional Director
Myrna Pablo during the WOW (Work on Wheels) SME Caravan, in Bangued,
Abra Last August 3, 2011.
As a result of this, Almora General Hospital is subsequently
endorsed to the DTI national competition and to the Productivity
Olympics of the Regional Tripartite and Productivity Board of the
Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
The WOW-SME Caravan is slated to go to all the provinces of the
Cordilleras to help the local micro, small and medium enterprises in
properly planning and running their businesses.
The criteria for selecting the winner of the SME Star Elite are
the following: 1. Productivity Improvement Program, 2. Gain Sharing
Schemes, 3. Green program, 4. Human Resource Capacity Building, 5.
Business performance, 6. Expansion and Growth, 7. Welfare Program for
the workers, their families and Community as a whole.
Almora General Hospital is now on its 13th year of operation. Two
years ago, it started a massive expansion program for the total
improvement of its services. It added a four storey building to expand
the bed capacity from the former 25 bed to 85 bed capacity. The
facilities were designed for the upgrading of its classification from
Secondary Level of care to a Tertiary Level of care.
It has also installed the following productivity improvement
programs: 1. Installation of an Integrated Computerized Hospital
Information Technology System, 2. Upgradement of its electrical system
for equipment safety and patient safety, 3. Expansion of its intercom
system, 4. Installation of paging and centralized music system, 5.
Expansion and improvement of Cable TV services for patient
entertainment, 6. Installation of Close circuit TV Surveillance system
to improve patient security, 7. Operation of Endoscopy diagnostic
machine, 8. Operation of the First Laparoscopy machine in North eastern
Luzon, 9. Operation of a Bone Densitometer Diagnostic Machine to
diagnose bone ailment specially of the elderly, 10. Installation of a
C-ARM fluoroscopic X-ray machine, 11. Operation of an automated Blood
analyzer and 12. Installation of a CT-Scan Machine.
Almora General Hospital has also complied with the quality
standards of the Dept. of Health and Philhealth in many aspects of
patient care; human resource capacity build up; waste management and
environmental protection; patient safety; and welfare program for the
workers and their families. It was able to expand its services and sales
and provide employment to the additional 50 employees.
