VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4 The PNANE FOCUS August —September 2012 Page
NEWSLETTER DATE PNANE FOCUS
The Official Newsletter of the Philippine Nurses Association of New England (PNANE), Inc. Member: Philippine Nurses Association of America
FALL ISSUE Volume 2 Issue 3 August—September , 2012 ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
OUR MISSION The Philippine Nurses Association of New England (PNANE) is an official non-profit professional organization that upholds the image and preserves the cultural contributions of Filipinos and Filipino-American nurses in the United - States of America. The POWER of PNANE lives on!
Dorothy’s Narrative: From her Philippine Heritage to Building Nicaraguan Health Care I was born in Los Angeles, California on December 8, 1930 during the Great Depression. My mother was second generation Mexican-American and my father, Filipino. The Oriental Exclusion Laws prohibited Asian men from marrying white women; a law not repealed until the 1950’s. We were very poor, and I was considered a “bastard”. I ex- perienced very early the classism and racism imposed by the dominant, white society.
Since I was a small child I have wanted to be a nurse. I remember bringing home small, injured animals and trying to repair them. As I look back, I understand that I was trying to mend my own brokenness. As I grew older I began to under- stand that my healing was reliant on and intertwined with the healing of others.
After being expelled from my second year high school I went to the Philippines with my father to find a high school from which I could graduate. The strict Do- minican sisters at Santa Catarina in Intramuros saw that this happened. At the University of Santo Tomas I sought admission to nursing school. I was refused and told that I was not suited for nursing and should study medicine instead. My family was upper-class and did not support my desire to study nursing. I reluc- tantly left the Islands to return to nursing school in Los Angeles. This was sad since I had come to love the country and its warm, generous people.
Through trying to understand what causes illness I have also learned that politi- cal, economic and religious ambitions are often the root causes of poverty, war, displacement and social disorder. These forces create illness and prevent health. Health requires an environment of tranquility that enables the development of those elements that promote health: human rights, decent work, clean water, adequate food, care of the environment and basic health ser-vices.
Nursing has led me to be active in efforts to eliminate the death penalty, prevent nuclear war, and accompany the lead- ership of families of those that disappeared in Guatemala. The path ultimately brought me to Nicaragua where the United States was waging war against a poor country whose government was brought to power by popular struggle against a U.S. supported dictatorship. In Nicaragua, still at war when I arrived in 1985, it seemed that I could be most useful by joining a group of war displaced women to help them in the work of re-building their community. Through a small health clinic, whose core was women’s health, we worked to create conditions to support a healthy community including reconciliation of former enemies.
Currently I am working with Traditional Midwives and other Community Health Workers to help them improve their already vast store of skills and create conditions for healthy families and communities to the end that there are no more maternal and infant death. The health system in Nicaragua has improved greatly; however, traditional health workers in communities need continuing education and consistent support in order to help them do the essential work to create better conditions of health. (To page 2)
Philippine Nurses Association of New England. Inc. www.pna-newengland.org VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4 The PNANE FOCUS August —September 2012 Page 2 Editorial Beyond my space ...
Maria Theresa P. Panizales, MSN, RN
Comfort is relative, it is what one feels at the moment, a concept that is built from experience, past and present. As nurses, we are very much concern of our patients comfort. We looked beyond what we see and the meaning of what our patient tells us in order to decipher the essence of being comfortable. From here on, the nurse applies the necessary measures to attain the goal of providing comfort.
As a person and a nurse, I reflect on what has been my comfort zone. Do I go beyond the norms of being a nurse in my profession? What is considered a norm? Is it my professionally assigned shift, the 8-5 routine office hours, the tasks assigned that needs to be completed or the leadership role I provide to others at an assigned moment? Oh yes, the routine task is where comfort resides. But are there other ways that my role as a nurse can very much expand and be a trail blazer in helping move health care beyond the nor- mal paradigm of an institution? Do I share my voice to be heard? Do I concern myself with what is happening beyond the four walls of my comfort zone?
As a nurse, the entire community within and beyond is part of me. I am not a silo that exists to navigate just one path nor do I see my patient just because of their presenting illness. I am not limited to what I see and do while ministering care, for I know that this is just the tip of the iceberg. For much of the why of the moment, and what is about to happen in the healing phase, where much of my profession focuses, is affected by multiple factors that reflect back to the community.
My community is where one can see the impact and interplay of social, political, economic, cultural and spiritual factors to the health and well being of its members. To find one is to open a Pandora ’s Box revealing root causes, too simple yet complex enough if a concerted effort is not utilized to solve the challenge. Yes, we cannot solve all but to not do anything makes one an accessory to the crime of neglect - for we are that community .
______DOROTHY (From page 1) The greatest challenges, to date, have been the illiteracy of nearly half of the Midwives and Health Workers as well as a lack of ap- preciation of the workers vital importance on the part of some nurses and doctors in the health department. To respond to the lack of literacy, workers are being enrolled in literacy classes. To gain the respect of “professional” health workers, we are working hard to up-grade the performance of Midwives and Community Health Workers. As the workers’ performance improves, health indicators will improve. The greatest gain of the program is the enthusiastic response of the Traditional Midwives and Community Health Workers who are eager to learn new skills and improve old knowledge. Traditional Midwives and Community Health Workers are the heroes of the health system.
I would ask young people and health workers to look into their hearts and find their dreams and their pain, and work toward healing as they realize their deepest dreams. The people of the Philippines have a rich history of resistance to oppression as well as an un- derstanding of what it is to be a human being.
Dorothy Granada, 29 July, 2012, Matagalpa, Nicaragua
Philippine Nurses Association of New England. Inc. www.pna-newengland.org VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4 The PNANE FOCUS August —September 2012 Page 3 Heart to Heart with Leila Releasing the POWER of PNANE Professional Relationships. Outreach Programs. Worldwide Linkages. Educational Advancement, and Recruitment, Retention and Responsible Financial Management Leila C. Amarra, MSN, RN
Let me begin by saying how privileged I feel to have had the First Aid Booth. Health Screening Program was offered in part- opportunity to serve the Philippine Nurses Association of New nership with the Knights of Columbus and Nyaya Health, and England (PNANE) and the Philippine Nurses Association of First Aid assistance for the International Festival of the Archdio- America (PNAA). I thank our members for giving their trust, cese of Boston. We also joined the “Fit for the King Program” encouragement and confidence in me to serve as president. I truly of the Martin Luther King School in Roxbury. Our relationship believe that the two years have been very fulfilling, and have with Lassell College was continued through the school’s Lead- given me the opportunity to gain valuable experience in leader- ership Retreat. We maintained our services to the Filipino com- ship and professional advancement, and taught me perseverance munity during the Fall River Santacruzan, Gawad Kalinga 5K and humility. I also saw how friends reconnect, new friendships Walk and the Filipino Apostolate’s programs, among others. formed for the common goals and how we learn from each other’s triumphs as well as mistakes. It reminded me what true Through our website and frequent emails, we updated our mem- leadership is all about. It was a wonderful and rewarding journey bership information and responded to inquiries in the US and with all of you. the Philippines. Our newsletter’s excellent editorial staff and facebook page helped us get in touch with our members. We I salute the dedication and professionalism of the Executive take the lighter side of PNA New England with our Miss Valen- Board and I found exceptional engagement of members in more tine, Food Festival, and Anniversary celebrations; and network ways than one. Our undocumented auxiliary members, meaning with other Filipino organizations as we preserve our cultural our family, husbands/wives, significant others and friends are heritage for future generations to enjoy. instrumental in our success. The 2010-2012 mantra “The POWER of PNANE: Making a Difference” through Professional PNANE is proud to present our members who are serving the Relations, Outreach Programs, Worldwide Linkages, Educational PNA America with Leticia Hermosa, our founding president as Opportunities; and Recruitment, Retention and Responsible Fi- the newly elected President-elect, Jeanette Livelo as Treasurer nancial Management serves as our guiding light. As we journey, and Jennifer Aying as Board Member. Rollie Perea was ap- I must admit that our travels are not all smooth. The bumpy pointed in the President’s Cabinet for Business Development roads gave us challenges that test our endurance to withstand all and our incoming President, Maria Eden Gianan is the Eastern kinds of obstacles. Regional Treasurer. We have massive talents within our midst!
PNA New England’s talented members are our rich resources in I will continue to support PNANE and I hope you, too, will do the Speaker’s Bureau. They are local, national and international the same. God bless us all, especially the nurses who unsel- speakers in their specific specialties. We coordinated our con- fishly work to uplift the health of everyone. tinuing education programs with various hospitals such as the VA West Roxbury, Spaulding Rehabilitation Network, Steward The journey goes on. St. Elizabeth Hospital, Sturdy Hospital and Lemuel Shattuck Hospital. Many of our members attended the PNAA regional, national and international conferences. Some of our members served as resource speakers in schools and colleges of nursing in the Philippines in support of the PNAA’s Balik-Turo project.
Many of our members availed various scholarships and grants and received recognition for their excellence in nursing both na- tionally and locally during the Nurses Week celebration. We are presently working on strengthening our mentorship program with our members and nursing students from various local schools and colleges.
We strengthened the organization’s outreach programs by coordi- nating with the Boston Athletics Association and served in the world famous Boston Marathon, Half Marathon and 10 K Run. We collaborated with the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition and served as first aiders in the recent 5K Walk, supported the Arthri- tis Foundation and for many years served the Walk for Hunger’s
Philippine Nurses Association of New England. Inc. www.pna-newengland.org VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4 The PNANE FOCUS August —September 2012 Page 4
Why do you ‘Occupy’? Healthcare is not the only Sonia Laxamana Thompson, RN, MBA system that is failing. Basically there is unequal This question was asked during the General Assembly of Occupy distribution of resources Boston. We were in the bandstand of the Boston Common, on and power in all sectors of one sunny but chilly late afternoon in March of this year. It was the society. For a long evacuation day and we just spent the early afternoon talking to time now the rich are be- tourists in the Granary Burying Ground about the social and coming richer, and the health injustices that happened in the 1800s. During the small- poor poorer. The wealth pox outbreak, the wealthy patrons of Marblehead built a smallpox gap is growing and the hospital on Cat Island and charged it so much that most people wealthy elite, or the 1%, controls every facet of our lives. They could not use it. According to the article written in 1996 by are the ones with the money to influence policy makers into mak- Haggerty and Johnson, the top 10% of the population owns 60% ing legislations that would ensure enormous profits for them- of the world’s wealth. These populations have the means to selves. In the meantime we see massive home foreclosures, high check in the hospital, while the poor cannot afford healthcare. unemployment rate, rising costs of food, water, heat, education, Unfortunately, this injustice is still happening now, 200 years and transportation. All these contribute to substandard quality of after, just in different form but definitely the same context. life, higher stress, and eventual poor health.
So I proclaimed, “I occupy because I believe that healthcare is a As a nurse, I can not ignore the social, political and economic basic human right and the root cause of health injustice is the factors that influence one’s state of health. As the World Health unequal distribution of power and resources. I would like to Organization defines health as not merely the absence of disease work towards a single payer system which is medical care funded but a state of well being, I have to get rid of my blinders and look from a single insurance pool. In our current system, there are at the factors that contribute to ill state of well being. about thousands of different healthcare organizations, HMOs, billing agencies, and different payers of healthcare fees. They I got involved with Occupy Boston late last year. I am one of the not only cause massive amounts of paper works and bureaucra- volunteer ‘medic’ and along with the members of the Occupy cies, they also incur enormous amounts of administrative costs. Boston Medical Work Group, provides free health services not The organization Healthcare-now mentioned in their website that just to the members of Occupy Boston but to the general public, the single payer system will reduce administrative wastes and regardless of race, gender, religious beliefs, and political affilia- free up $400 billion to be used to guaranteed comprehensive care tion. This role is not self-contained, but expands to integrate a and insurance to each and every person in the U.S., documented holistic gamut penetrating the root causes of health related issues; and undocumented alike.” how to better understand and find meaning on potential solutions.
The folks at the assembly agreed, and they The camp in Dewey Square has been dismantled but the working put in their two-cents on the healthcare groups are remains very active in working against the injustices system. In our current business model, that prevail in our current system. We continue to rally and pro- large insurance corporations spend mil- test against corporations that violate our basic human rights. We lions of dollars on lobbyists, and directly continue to figure out alternative solutions to high costs of living. contribute millions more to politicians on We work on alternative energy, ponder on communal living, start both parties. Health insurance and drug growing our own foods, bank locally, support organic and non- companies donated $26.2 million to the GMO farming…so many ‘little’ independent actions that when 111 th Congress and spent $86 million to vigorously campaign aggregated will make an impact on people’s state of well being, against health reform (www.opensecrets.org) The politicians and therefore health. We continue to get informed, speak up, then allow these corporations to dictate our healthcare by making connect with other like-minded individuals, and take part in Criti- legislations that would ensure high profit margins for the private cal Mass Actions. insurance companies that provide neither adequate coverage nor adequate care and has failed to contain costs. ABCNews.go.com My involvement with Occupy Boston made me more aware of reported that last year the profits from the five largest insurers how my small actions can make a big impact. Personally, I have totaled $12.2 billion The insurance CEOs made $10-20 million a made major lifestyle changes as a protest against the banking, year in salary (www.fiercehealthpayer.com). In the meantime, food and insurance industry. I have embraced minimalism: got www.cbsnews.com noted in their web news that 45,000 deaths rid of car (no more payments for gas, parking, insurance and ex- happen every year due to lack of health insurance. The Com- cise tax); started buying locally (cheaper, fresher, and more reve- monwealth Fund studies revealed that working families and em- nues for local small businesses); and ate healthy and exercise ployers struggle to pay rising premiums. 25 million Americans regularly (prevent chronic diseases that would make me depend- are underinsured. In the end, Medical bills contribute to 62% of ent on pharmaceuticals and tertiary hospitals). personal bankruptcies even with medical insurance (To page 5) (www.pnhp.org).
Philippine Nurses Association of New England. Inc. www.pna-newengland.org VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4 The PNANE FOCUS August —September 2012 Page 5
Autumn...Fall...what does it OCCUPY (From page 4) mean to you? This minimalist lifestyle made me happier, less stressed, and able to offer more of myself as a nurse. I work in the ICU in one of the major city hospitals and I now come in with a dif- Janice Amihan BSN, RN ferent mindset. As I take care of my patients, I am comforted
with the knowledge that I am doing something to help them get Some people like this season. It is so back to a “real” state of health. magnificent, when leaves turn to a
spectrum of colors! Magnificently References: warm and bright! For some, this The Social Construction of the Distribution of Income and season brings somewhat feelings of Health. Haggerty, Mark and Johnson, Colleen. Journal of Eco- loneliness. Autumn is the season of nomic Issues, vol. 30 (2);June 1996. "fading away". When it starts to get www.healthcare-now.org/whats-single-payer. Retrieved Sep- cold we all say, "This is it!" summer tember 29 , 2012. is over. No more sun, beaches, shorts and colorful tanks. It will be www.opensecrets.org/news/2009/06/diagnosis-reform.html . replaced with layers of suffocating black clothes of winter. The Retrieved September 29,2012. long dark cold nights are coming. www.abcnews.go.com/Health/HealthCare/health-insurers-post-
record-profits/story?id=9818699#.UGnuTZjA8tU. Retrieved But how many of us really examined the reason for this season? September 29,2012. For me, the curiosity just started when we had a very early snow www.fiercehealthpayer.com/special-reports/2009-health- storm last year, when it was still October. Some of you lost power insurance-ceo-compensation . and heat for a few days. I was listening to the radio one time and www.cbsnews.com/2100-18563_162-5318652.html . Retrieved they were explaining that the amount of branches that has fallen or September 29,2012. trees toppled over was because the trees have not shed off their www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/in-the- leaves yet. Therefore they could not handle the weight of the literature/2008/JUN/How-Many-Are-Underinsured--Trends- snow. This prompted me to find out a little bit about autumn. Among-U-S--Adults--2003-and-2007.aspx. Retrieved Septem- Here's an interesting thing! That until now, nobody really knows ber 29,2012. the phenomenon of autumn. But they have some theories or hy- www.pnhp.org/PDF_files/MedicalBankruptcy.pdf . Retrieved potheses. September 29,2012.
- Some say that the yellow and reddish colors of the leaves are already there but are masked with green during spring and summer because of abundant chlorophyll. - Some say that it's because leaves pump all their nutrients into the tree's branches so they could survive until spring.
The study of this phenomenon could not be hurried because scien- tists could only make observations during the season. Once it is over, they have to wait another year for another chance. One of my good friends is fascinated in studying plants lately. He said that we have many things to learn from them. Indeed I have learned from the trees today. That like the chlorophyll giving way to wonderful colors, it is only in giving away of ourselves that could we exude the beauty God built on all of us. Like the leaves giving nutrients to the branches, we need to give up some things in our lives (yes, even aesthetics) to make us stronger Christians who will weather the winter. ANNOUNCEMENTS The fallen leaves, the barren tree might not look good from the outside, but all these changes is just God's season of PREPARA- Convention/Conferences/Seminars TION, so that we will not fall and topple over when the storms of life come. It takes patience, but in the end, when spring comes, it PNAA Eastern Regional Convention on November 9-10, is only the strong trees that are able to come to life again. 2012 hosted by PNA Virginia at Williamsburg, Virginia. Our God is a God of order. If you are in the fall season of your General Assembly at the VA Hospital, West Roxbury: life right now, I hope you come to a place that you could view it as December 13, West Roxbury Campus God's PREPARATION for the winter. But take heed because spring will always come.
Philippine Nurses Association of New England. Inc. www.pna-newengland.org VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4 The PNANE FOCUS August —September 2012 Page 6
33rd PNAA NATIONAL CONVENTION San Antonio, Texas BAA Boston Half Marathon
PNANE Food Festival
National Ovarian Cancer Coalition MEDIC Volunteers
Meeting Dr. Ona … phone conferences, and meetings working collaboratively Tess P. Panizales, MSN, RN with Dr. Enrique Ona and the rest of the team.
Over the kitchen dining table in our Quincy home, Madz I finally met Dr. Ona when we were invited to present dur- and I brainstormed on Philippines health care issues - not ing an international gathering of developing nations in a an unusual discussion when all huddles as a family or as health care quality conference, and forum on quality in our family friends get together. While husbands dis- health care in 2007. Meeting Dr. Ona and having a cussed socio-political issues, we cracked our brains to chance to sit beside him during the 2 days conference, explore issues impacting quality health care in the Philip- and listening to his wisdom and vision for a better health pines. Madz was then Vice-President of PhilHealth. care for the Filipinos was awe inspiring. He was then, the Chief of the re-known Kidney Center in Manila. The qual- The perfect light bulb glowed as we explore possibility of ity care delivery improvement in the hospital can be felt looking at Philippines surgical quality and safety, indeed a during our visit. perfect time in 2005 as Atul Gawande’s WHO role on sur- gical Safety Checklist development was evolving. Then In 2010, the news of his appointment as Secretary of we looked into alignment with key players, who are our Health was an exciting moment. I congratulated him over stakeholders? On my end, I have Dr. Selwyn Rogers, the phone, and committed our family support to his efforts and several names for our Philippines team like Dr. A. – whatever way an expats can be deemed useful. Crisostomo and Dr. E. Ona. We Meeting him again this year, 2012, and being updated of dissected their his visions and works in progress was another privilege to current roles and glean to Philippines health care development. This time, commitments to the Philippines Nurses Association of New England Board quality, most spe- of Officers was honored to not only listen to his program cifically surgery. goals but celebrate his birthday. Personally, Dr. Ona’s This was the be- leadership template exudes humility, commitment, hon- ginning of one of esty, and passion to serve those that have the least and the many three elevate health care quality for all. o’clock in the morning (EST)
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MY JOURNEY blessed with a supportive and understanding husband who en- dured and sacrificed with me through it all. Ann Caberoy, MSN, RN Indeed, it is in unity that we find strength. There were seven of us when we first started the MSN-CNS program at MGH Insti- Mother Theresa once said, “Life is an oppor- tute of Health Professions; five of us finished the program. tunity, benefit from it. Life is beauty, admire Throughout the program, the five of us worked independently it. Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a chal- on our individual projects but always helped each other out lenge, meet it. Life is a duty, complete it.” when faced with difficult tasks.
Ten years ago, I was given a rare opportunity to work and live in This experience taught me a lot of things especially about hu- the U.S. My family and I have benefited from this opportunity man resilience and determination. More so, it has made me ap- especially my kids. It was a dream that many have but only a preciate life more, taking into consideration the many little few was given a chance to fulfill. things that we may take for granted. Without the encouragement and support, I would not have taken the leap of faith and chal- It was not easy to leave everything we know and love behind. lenged myself into doing and finishing my advanced degree. Neither was it easy to start a new life in a foreign land with no This also opened up more doors for me and an opportunity for immediate family. However, understandably, with change there me to take other challenges. The degree I earned did not just are challenges. It is how we face the matter at hand that would benefit me but also gave me a chance to share what I learned make a difference. with my colleagues and staff. It also gives me an opportunity to touch our patients’ lives in a different way and make their world I was lucky to join a rehabilitation team that supported me and a bit better. gave me a chance to share what I know and learn from the ex- perience. I am thankful to have a strong Nursing foundation that Life is what we make it, they said. I do believe that we are here my college education prepared me in order to face any chal- for a reason. For that matter, we learn from each other everyday lenges ahead of me. A year and a half after I was hired as a staff and continue to do so. As nurses and as human beings we touch nurse, I was promoted to be the day charge nurse. It brought someone else’s life each day as they in return touch ours. We all more challenges and responsibilities as well as possibilities. have our journeys in life and paths to take. Possibilities are end- less. So go ahead. Do not be afraid. Accept the challenges that One of the many possibilities was an opportunity to advance my life presents to you. After all, it is just you who can make it hap- education to a higher degree. Going back to school was never in pen. the list of things that I have thought to accomplish. A former
nurse educator convinced me in going to an open house for graduate school and eventually gently prodded me to try one semester.
One semester led to another until I realized I have matriculated and have started a journey that I never thought I could finish. Needless to say, I graduated with a masters degree in nursing after five grueling years of hard work, sacrifices and sleepless nights. Slowly but surely, I was able to make it and reach the finish line.
It was a tough and long 5 years. I was balancing my life between working full time, being a mother and a wife. I had to do home- work once again after so many years, this time side by side with my 10 year old son. I came to realize that my memory and learning skills are not the same as it was when I was in college. To top it all, I became pregnant with my second child during the second year of our program. I almost gave up and quit. It was difficult enough to stay awake to finish required readings and throwing up at the same time. I was always exhausted. I barely could submit schoolwork in time. However, my mentor and now classmate convinced me to continue and hang on. She en- couraged me and showed me that we can do it together- help each other as we aim to reach our main goal together. I was also
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WE CONTINUE TO LEARN
United Health Care to Address Inequity in the retained hospitals, 46% of provincial hospitals, 46% of district Health System hospitals, and 51% of rural health units (RHUs) by end of 2011. Financial efforts shall be provided to allow immediate rehabilita- Universal Health Care and Its Aim tion and construction of critical health facilities. In addition to Universal Health Care (UHC), also referred to as Kalusugan that, treatment packs for hypertension and diabetes shall be ob- Pangkalahatan (KP), is the “provision to every Filipino of the tained and distributed to RHUs. highest possible quality of health care that is accessible, efficient, equitably distributed, adequately funded, fairly financed, and The DOH licensure and PhilHealth accreditation for hospitals and appropriately used by an informed and empowered public”. 1 The health facilities shall be streamlined and unified. Aquino administration puts it as the availability and accessibility of health services and necessities for all Filipinos. Attainment of Health-related MDGs
Further efforts and additional resources are to be applied on pub- It is a government mandate aiming to ensure that every Filipino lic health programs to reduce maternal and child mortality, mor- shall receive affordable and quality health benefits. This involves bidity and mortality from Tuberculosis and Malaria, and inci- providing adequate resources – health human resources, health dence of HIV/AIDS. Localities shall be prepared for the emerg- facilities, and health financing. ing disease trends, as well as the prevention and control of non-
communicable diseases. UHC’s Three Thrusts
To attain UHC, three strategic thrusts are to be pursued, namely: The organization of Community Health Teams (CHTs) in each 1) Financial risk protection through expansion in enrollment and priority population area is one way to achieve health-related benefit delivery of the National Health Insurance Program MDGs. CHTs are groups of volunteers, who will assist families (NHIP); 2) Improved access to quality hospitals and health care with their health needs, provide health information, and facilitate facilities; and 3) Attainment of health-related Millennium Devel- communication with other health providers. RNheals nurses will opment Goals (MDGs). be trained to become trainers and supervisors to coordinate with
community-level workers and CHTs. By the end of 2011, it is Financial Risk Protection targeted that there will be 20,000 CHTs and 10,000 RNheals. Protection from the financial impacts of health care is attained by Another effort will be the provision of necessary services using making any Filipino eligible to enroll, to know their entitlements the life cycle approach. These services include family planning, and responsibilities, to avail of health services, and to be reim- ante-natal care, delivery in health facilities, newborn care, and the bursed by PhilHealth with regard to health care expenditures. Garantisadong Pambata package. PhilHealth operations are to be redirected towards enhancing national and regional health insurance system. The NHIP enroll- Better coordination among government agencies, such as DOH, ment shall be rapidly expanded to improve population coverage. DepEd, DSWD, and DILG, would also be essential for the The availment of outpatient and inpatient services shall be inten- achievement of these MDGs sively promoted. Moreover, the use of information technology shall be maximized to speed up PhilHealth claims processing. 1Executive Summary. (2010, October-December). Acta Medica
Philippina, 44 (4), 9. Improved Access to Quality Hospitals and Health Care Fa- cilities Editorial Staff Improved access to quality hospitals and health facilities shall be Maria Theresa Panizales: Editor achieved in a number of creative approaches. First, the quality of Ann Marie Dwyer: Assistant Editor PNANE Members: Associates government-owned and operated hospitals and health facilities is Leila Amarra, Leticia Hermosa: Advisers to be upgraded to accommodate larger capacity, to attend to all types of emergencies, and to handle non-communicable diseases. Call for WRITERS and “Dreamers” The Health Facility Enhancement Program (HFEP) shall provide Calling all creative writers and dreamers: Here’s your chance to funds to improve facility preparedness for trauma and other share your thoughts, pictures and creativity. Submit your origi- nal articles to PNANE Focus. Professional and personal an- emergencies. The aim of HFEP was to upgrade 20% of DOH- nouncements are welcome.
Philippine Nurses Association of New England. Inc. www.pna-newengland.org