DOH designates MMMHMC as ENT center in Ilocos region
By Glen S Ramos
The medical staff of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Medical Center performs hearing test and head and neck examination to patients.
THE Department of Health (DOH) has recently designated the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMHMC) in Batac, Ilocos Norte as the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Care Specialty Center for Ilocos Region.
Ilocos Regional Director Paula Paz M. Sydiongco hailed the MMMHMC’s designation which will further advance the treatment and care of people seeking specialty care and consultations for ear, nose, and throat ailments. “Patients will no longer travel to Manila because the care they need will already be available here in Ilocos region.”
“Over the years, MMHMC has worked to provide the highest standard of health care services in the Ilocos region and now it has become the premier center for advanced health care in the north because of the dedication and commitment of its personnel – and this success is manifested by the establishments of various specialty centers,” Sydiongco emphasized.
Among the 12 specialty centers instituted were cardiovascular care, renal care and transplant, lung care, orthopedic care, mental health, neonatal care, cancer care, infectious disease and tropical medicine, geriatric care, eye care, dermatology care and ear, nose and throat care.
MMMHMC was established in 1968 and evolved from an emergency hospital to a general hospital and finally, a medical center which is the biggest and premier health care institution north of Manila.
To complement its new role as ENT center, the regional office turned over one Multifunctional Automated Auditory Brainstem Response and Auditory Steady State Response (ABR-ASSR) machine last August 15, 2023 to help diagnose persons with suspected hearing abnormalities.
MMMHMC Chief of Medical Professional Staff Jose B. Orosa III, said that the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery has played an important role in the establishment of ENT Care in line with Universal Health Care.
“The department was accredited for conducting training for otolaryngologists leading towards specialization in pediatric ENT, otology, and neurotology, clinical audiology, head and neck surgery. We are planning to also venture into rhinology and maxillofacial trauma in the near future”, Orosa stated.
“We have been providing comprehensive diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of related disorders of the ear, nose, and throat using state-of-the-art technology including managing various conditions that include hearing loss, sinusitis, allergies, voice disorders, sleep apnea syndrome, and tumors of the head and neck, among others with both surgical and non-surgical options.”
Orosa also encouraged individuals with ENT concerns to visit the center for consultations anytime.
The designation of MMMHMC was made possible by Department Order (DO) No. 2021-0001-A signed by Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa on July 25, 2023 amending the previous DO No. 2023-0001 dated January 4, 2021, for the designation of selected DOH hospitals as specialty centers.
