Pulmonary Medicine Services

Mission

In consonance with the mission-vision of the Lung Center of the Philippines, it is the mission of the Department of Pulmonary Medicine to be a premier unit in service, training and research in pulmonary medicine, recognized nationally and internationally.

Vision

The Department of Pulmonary Medicine envisions itself to be in the forefront and the prime mover of activities related to service, training and research in pulmonary medicine in the Philippines.

Objectives

The Department of Pulmonary Medicine aims to accomplish the following objectives:

To develop and nurture a culture and environment that increases commitment to and alignment with the common goals of the Lung Center of the Philippines

To deliver comprehensive, excellent, specialized services in the diagnosis and management of chest diseases

To provide a well-rounded, complete, state-of-the-art training for medical and allied health professionals in the care of patients with chest diseases

To promote and generate sound and pertinent scientific researches in chest diseases

History

     During the establishment of the Lung Center of the Philippines in 1982, the pulmonary medicine consultants were then under the office of the Chief of Clinics, Dr. Vicenta Pita de Gracia. Most of the staff physicians were previous consultants and trainees of the Quezon Institute.

     It was in 1983 that the Department of Pulmonary Medicine was organized, with Dr. Evangelina N. Santos as the first department head. Since then, the department has played a vital role in the growth of the Lung Center and the development of various services available to pulmonary medicine. Over the years, the department has produced graduates who now serve in the different regions of the Philippines. The products of the training program later became distinguished members of the community of chest physicians.

     In 1994, Dr. Dina V. Diaz became the second head of the department. The department maintained its mission of service, training and research well into the late ’90s, until the fire that gutted down the hospital in 1998 led to a temporary halt in its activities. Within a few months, however, the department resumed its services, and subsequently, its training program. In 2000, Dr. Sullian Sy Naval became the department’s new head. Despite the overwhelming obstacles and limitations, the department continued on with its mandate and commitment of providing comprehensive service to patients with chest diseases.

     The Department of Pulmonary Medicine remains driven to be the vanguard for the advancement of pulmonary medicine in the Philippines.

     The members of the consultant staff are all certified by the Philippine College of Chest Physicians and skilled in their respective subspecialties. The manpower is still ably complemented by consultants from other departments, sections, and units, along with a whole roster of visiting and referral consultants. Thus, the Department literally forms the medical backbone of the Center.

Consultant Staff

The table below lists the active in-house consultants in the Department.

Department of Pulmonary Medicine Consultant Staff

Name of staff consultant	Position/designation	Specalty/Subspecialty in addition to Pulmonology
Dina Diaz, M.D.	Department Manager III	Physiology, Asthma, Occupational Health, Interstitial Lung Disease
Benilda Galvez, M.D.	Asst. Department Head	Infectious Diseases
Daphne Bate, M.D.	Training Officer	Clinical Epidemiology, Environmental Medicine
Jaime Mendoza, M.D.	Section Chief, Bronchoscopy	Bronchoscopy, Suppurative Lung Diseases
Luisito Idolor, M.D.	Section Chief, Section of Respiratory Services and Section of PT & Rehab ilitation	COPD, Smoking Cessation Hospital Administration
Newell Nacpil, M.D.	Section Chief, MICU/STU	Critical Care Medicine
Virginia Delos Reyes, M.D.	Asst. Training Officer	Sleep Medicine
Dennis Teo, M.D.	Asst. Section Chief, MICU/STU	Critical Care Medicine, ITS
Guia Elena Ladrera, M.D.	Non-salaried active staff, Asst. Section Chief, Oncology Section	Medical Oncology
Ma. Cecilia Jocson, M.D.	Non-salaried active staff Asst. Section Chief, SRS	Critical Care Medicine (scheduled for training)
Vincent Balanag, M.D.	Chief, Professional Training and Education	Clinical Epidemiology and Research, Tuberculosis
Roberto Montevirgen, M.D.	Department Manager III, OPD-ER Section Chief, Oncology Section	Pulmonary Oncology
Joven Roque Gonong, M.D.	Asst. Unit head, PHDU	Tuberculosis, DOTS, DOTS plus
Sullian Sy-Naval, M.D.	Department Manager III, R & D	Research, COPD
Norberto Francisco, M.D.	Program Director, COPD Support Group	Research, COPD
Raoul Villarete, M.D.	Deputy Director for Hospital Support Services	Tuberculosis

     Service delivery is optimized further with the 24-hour duty rotations of pulmonary fellows-in-training and the allied medical personnel of the Sections of Respiratory Services and Rehabilitation Medicine that comprise the rest of the workforce of the Department. Daily activities are often made up of a perfect blend of service and training through regular ward rounds, conferences, lectures and out-patient consultations, and performance of pulmonary diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Implementation of a multidisciplinary approach to patient care covers various areas which includes the medical intensive care unit and isolation units, emergency room and outpatient areas, service and pay wards, plus referrals from the surgical intensive care unit.

     The staff of the Department also plays an active role in the different preventive, promotive and patient education programs of the Center, whether as program coordinators or implementors. These include the Asthma Club, COPD Support Group Program, DOTS and DOTS plus programs, and the Smoking Cessation Program.

     In the recent years after the fire, it can be seen how the increase in the number of in- and out-patients and the equally numerous procedures performed account for the boost in income generated by the Department. While the different income and cost centers strive to complete their equipment and facilities, manpower skills continue to be upgraded through training and development.

   The patient care management protocols are reviewed, updated and discussed among the consultant staff and presented during conferences. Subsequently, they are finalized and disseminated. Oftentimes, such clinical pathways end up being adopted by the chest specialty society, i.e. the Philippine College of Chest Physicians, in keeping with its mission and vision of setting the standards of pulmonary care for Filipinos. It would seem then that the Lung Center, through the Department of Pulmonary Medicine, indeed sets the trend in specialty medical care in the field of pulmonary and chest diseases.

     The conduct of research by both the staff consultants and training fellows also occupies a significant portion of the department’s strategies in its efforts to enhance the quality of pulmonary care it delivers to patients.

     Last but not the least, the Department is responsible for training future pulmonary specialists utilizing the standards set by the Accreditation Committee of the Philippine College of Chest Physicians. With a total of 16 to 18 trainees at any one time, and with 6 to 8 doctors completing their training each year to eventually put up their practice outside Metro Manila, the Department is clearly at the forefront of augmenting the pool of chest specialists who are much needed in far-flung areas of the country.