A Brief Overview of the Philippine Healthcare System

Summary

This video offers an insightful look into the Philippine Healthcare System, exploring its six critical building blocks through the lens of a Filipino couple, Jacob and Althea. It delves into service delivery, healthcare workforce, essential medicines, health information, health financing, and government leadership. The video highlights the system's challenges, such as uneven distribution of healthcare facilities, shortages of healthcare workers, and issues with essential medicines availability. It also discusses the impact of government policies and devolution on healthcare services, providing a comprehensive yet concise overview of the current state of healthcare in the Philippines.

Takeaways

• 🏥 The Philippines has a diverse healthcare system with both public and private providers, including over 22,000 public health stations and various levels of hospitals.
• 🤰 For expectant couples like Jacob and Althea, the Philippine healthcare system offers a range of services from prenatal care to birthing facilities, with over 1,900 licensed birthing homes and hundreds of thousands of hospital beds.
• 🛌 Hospital capacity in the Philippines is categorized into three levels based on the severity and complexity of conditions, with 750 level one hospitals for basic care, 327 level two hospitals for intensive care, and 120 tertiary hospitals for specialist treatment.
• 👩‍⚕️ The Philippine healthcare workforce is substantial, with over 90,000 nurses, 40,000 doctors, 43,000 midwives, and 13,000 medical technologists employed in institutions as of 2017.
• 💊 Essential medicines and medical devices are generally available in public health centers, but there can be inconsistencies in supply, with private pharmacies and medical device resellers as alternatives.
• 📊 The Philippine healthcare system tracks diseases like Dengue, Tuberculosis, and HIV to monitor and manage outbreaks, with various bureaus and institutions under the Department of Health (DoH) responsible for data collection.
• 💻 Health information systems in the Philippines are still developing, with efforts to modernize and digitize, though electronic medical record systems are not as widespread as in developed countries.
• 💰 Healthcare costs in the Philippines amount to 1.18 trillion pesos annually, roughly 6% of the GDP, with a significant portion (41.5%) being out-of-pocket expenses for individuals.
• 🏛 Government and leadership play a crucial role in the healthcare system, with devolution transferring power from the national to local governments, which can lead to conflicts and resource disparities.
• 🚑 Geographic disparities exist in healthcare service delivery, with urban areas having more facilities, leading to overutilization of larger hospitals and underutilization of rural health centers.
• 💼 There is a shortage of healthcare workers in the Philippines, with many trained professionals either concentrated in cities or choosing to work abroad or in other industries due to better pay and conditions.

Q & A

What are the six building blocks of a healthcare system as mentioned in the script?

The six building blocks of a healthcare system are service delivery, healthcare workforce, availability of essential medicines and medical devices, health information, health financing, and government and leadership.

What types of healthcare providers are available in the Philippines according to the script?

In the Philippines, there are public and private healthcare providers, including over 22,000 public barangay health stations, 2500 primary healthcare facilities, rural health units, outpatient departments of approximately 1200 hospitals, and private health clinics and teleconsultation services.

How does the script describe the hospital capacity and capability in the Philippines?

The script describes three levels of hospital capacity and capability in the Philippines: Level one hospitals for simple cases, level two hospitals for intensive care or procedures, and tertiary level hospitals for severe or rare diseases, with 750, 327, and 120 hospitals at each level respectively.

What is the role of the barangay health stations in the healthcare system of the Philippines?

Barangay health stations play a crucial role in the healthcare system of the Philippines by providing primary healthcare services, including well-baby care, to the community. However, they may not always have healthcare workers on duty, with only about 90 of the 22,000 stations having a nurse or midwife on duty.

How does the script address the issue of healthcare workforce in the Philippines?

The script highlights that as of 2017, the Philippines had over 90,000 nurses, 40,000 doctors, 43,000 midwives, and 13,000 medical technologists employed in institutions. It also points out issues such as the concentration of healthcare workers in urban areas and the outmigration of trained professionals.

What challenges does the script mention regarding the availability of essential medicines and medical devices in the Philippines?

The script mentions that while essential medicines and medical devices are often available, there can be variability in supply, with some primary health centers having essential medicines only about 57 to 76 percent of the time, and level 2 hospitals or higher at about 23 to 77 percent availability.

How does the script discuss the issue of health financing in the Philippines?

The script discusses that the Philippines spends approximately 1.18 trillion pesos annually on healthcare costs, which is about 6% of the GDP. It also mentions that 41.5% of total health expenditure is out-of-pocket, with about 50.3% covered by government schemes and 8.2% by private health insurance.

What is the significance of the devolution in the Philippine healthcare system as mentioned in the script?

Devolution in the Philippine healthcare system means the transfer of power from the national government to local governments, with the national government setting guidelines and standards. This has implications for the distribution of healthcare services and funding, and can lead to issues such as conflicts over politics and jurisdiction.

What are some of the problems with the healthcare infrastructure in the Philippines as described in the script?

The script describes several problems with the healthcare infrastructure in the Philippines, including a shortage of hospital beds relative to the population, an uneven distribution of healthcare facilities with a concentration in urban areas, and a shortage of healthcare workers, especially in rural areas.

How does the script suggest the private healthcare sector complements the public sector in the Philippines?

The script suggests that the private healthcare sector in the Philippines complements the public sector by providing services such as private pharmacies and medical device resellers, which can help alleviate gaps in the public healthcare sector, especially when there are deficiencies.

What is the role of telemedicine in the Philippine healthcare system as highlighted in the script?

The script highlights that telemedicine has grown considerably in the Philippines since the start of the pandemic, offering an alternative means of healthcare delivery, especially in situations where physical access to healthcare facilities is limited.