Hospital with a Heart

I read an article from Manila Bulletin last month.   The author, Andrew James Masigan, talked about his "Encounters with the Extraordinary Doktora".  This Extraordinary Doktora is Dr. Thelma Navarrete Clemente, founder and chairman of the Capitol Medical Center.   He talked  about his 3-hour chat with Dr. Clemente, her talents, the hospital's history, her hard work, among others.   

After reading the article, I almost broke me into tears.  Why? Because of these 2 paragraphs: 

"Unlike in most first-class hospitals, patients, no matter how poor, are not denied emergency medical care at Capitol Medical Center. This is upon the doktora’s strict orders. It is only after the patient has been stabilized that matters regarding finances are discussed. Such dedication to mission does not come cheap. 

Over the last 10 years, she tells us that uncollected debts from patient’s promissory notes easily exceed a hundred million pesos. The good doktora simply shrugs her shoulders. Mission outtrumps profits any day; and to me, this is social responsibility in action. Take-Home Value."

I have always disliked hospitals who value more their profit than the people who needs them.  For me, the hospital exists to save lives.  That is the heart of a hospital.  Yet, many lives have been lost because of owners who think of their hospital as a business.  No deposit, no admittance.  It is such a sad thing.  :-(

I even dreamed of putting up my own hospital that would serve the indigents.  Though, I don't know how it would work.  I just thought I had to do it someday.

Reading this article gave me hope.  Now, that's what I call a hospital with a heart.  :-)

I am thankful that a doktora in the person of Dr. Thelma Clemente, exists today.  And I am praying that there would be more like her.    

To read the whole article on Encounters with the Extraordinary Doktory, go to :

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/350467/encounters-with-the-extraordinary-doktora