Back in 2014, I spent two days visiting several medical institutions in Manila, Philippines. Starting in Makati, I chartered a car to begin the tour from nearby hospitals.
First was St. Luke’s Medical Center in the Quezon district (see top photo). Although sharing its name with Japan's St. Luke's, any connection is unclear. This hospital, having received the first JCI accreditation in the country, is evidently among the top in the Philippines. In the lobby, a promotion for various surgeries performed by the Da Vinci team (about 30 members) and PET scans for health check-ups was underway (see middle photo). An information board indicated that the hospital, owned by a fund, was managed by a specialized hospital administration company.
The hospital also had a Japan Desk, facilitating smooth service for Japanese patients. With about 650 beds, half of which are private rooms categorized into standard, deluxe, and suite types, the minimum cost for a night was around 60,000 yen. It was named “One of the Most Beautiful Hospitals in the World” in 2012 and later selected as “20 Best Hospitals Worldwide for 2014.”
Next, I visited Makati Medical Center, located in central Makati and housing over 600 beds. The impression was on par with, if not superior to, St. Luke’s. The entrance security, distinctly stricter than St. Luke’s, led to an interior resembling a small shopping center with various shops and restaurants.
The corridor displayed the home doctor department, similar to Japan's home healthcare support hospitals, fostering a sense of familiarity. Each room listed the attending physician's name, a common practice in private hospitals in ASEAN countries, unlike East Asia where doctors are typically employed by the hospital.
Although Makati Medical Center's facilities seemed slightly inferior to St. Luke’s, it's well-equipped with advanced technology and highly reputed in Makati City, as my driver shared.
I also visited various other institutions, including Chinese hospitals, municipal hospitals like Santa Ana Hospital (a 500-bed facility resembling a field hospital, see bottom photo), and the crowded Philippine Heart Center. Staffed by about 600 physicians (at the time) trained in Europe and the U.S., it’s recognized as one of the leading medical institutions in Asia for cardiac treatment.
My unscheduled evening visit to the Philippine Heart Center was initially halted by security, but persistence led to a manager allowing me inside. I was surprised to find departments for budget control and marketing – uncommon in Japanese hospitals. Despite being a public hospital, there were discussions about transferring management to a private company, indicating a business-like approach to hospital operations.
The following day, I visited The Japanese Association, Manila Inc., a clinic with resident Japanese doctors. I experienced a consultation for a headache, receiving a prescription filled at a nearby OTC drugstore, similar to the process in Japan.
This visit confirmed that in some of Manila's major hospitals, the level of medical care and hospitality matches, or even exceeds, that in Japan. Most Manila hospitals offer late-night consultations, and the doctors I met, like those in East Asia and other ASEAN countries, seemed dedicated and passionate.
This tour was an inspiring experience, witnessing doctors with a sense of mission devoted to serving their communities. (Written by: Yuji Ishii)
First was St. Luke’s Medical Center in the Quezon district (see top photo). Although sharing its name with Japan's St. Luke's, any connection is unclear. This hospital, having received the first JCI accreditation in the country, is evidently among the top in the Philippines. In the lobby, a promotion for various surgeries performed by the Da Vinci team (about 30 members) and PET scans for health check-ups was underway (see middle photo). An information board indicated that the hospital, owned by a fund, was managed by a specialized hospital administration company.
The hospital also had a Japan Desk, facilitating smooth service for Japanese patients. With about 650 beds, half of which are private rooms categorized into standard, deluxe, and suite types, the minimum cost for a night was around 60,000 yen. It was named “One of the Most Beautiful Hospitals in the World” in 2012 and later selected as “20 Best Hospitals Worldwide for 2014.”
Next, I visited Makati Medical Center, located in central Makati and housing over 600 beds. The impression was on par with, if not superior to, St. Luke’s. The entrance security, distinctly stricter than St. Luke’s, led to an interior resembling a small shopping center with various shops and restaurants.
The corridor displayed the home doctor department, similar to Japan's home healthcare support hospitals, fostering a sense of familiarity. Each room listed the attending physician's name, a common practice in private hospitals in ASEAN countries, unlike East Asia where doctors are typically employed by the hospital.
Although Makati Medical Center's facilities seemed slightly inferior to St. Luke’s, it's well-equipped with advanced technology and highly reputed in Makati City, as my driver shared.
I also visited various other institutions, including Chinese hospitals, municipal hospitals like Santa Ana Hospital (a 500-bed facility resembling a field hospital, see bottom photo), and the crowded Philippine Heart Center. Staffed by about 600 physicians (at the time) trained in Europe and the U.S., it’s recognized as one of the leading medical institutions in Asia for cardiac treatment.
My unscheduled evening visit to the Philippine Heart Center was initially halted by security, but persistence led to a manager allowing me inside. I was surprised to find departments for budget control and marketing – uncommon in Japanese hospitals. Despite being a public hospital, there were discussions about transferring management to a private company, indicating a business-like approach to hospital operations.
The following day, I visited The Japanese Association, Manila Inc., a clinic with resident Japanese doctors. I experienced a consultation for a headache, receiving a prescription filled at a nearby OTC drugstore, similar to the process in Japan.
This visit confirmed that in some of Manila's major hospitals, the level of medical care and hospitality matches, or even exceeds, that in Japan. Most Manila hospitals offer late-night consultations, and the doctors I met, like those in East Asia and other ASEAN countries, seemed dedicated and passionate.
This tour was an inspiring experience, witnessing doctors with a sense of mission devoted to serving their communities. (Written by: Yuji Ishii)
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