about Lorma Medical Center ►►
Lorma Medical Center has been at the forefront of providing quality medical
care since its founding in 1934. From a small wooden clinic, the
institution has grown both in size and capabilities over the years. The
hospital's hallmark for the past seven decades has been one of service.
The patient has come first at Lorma, and no needy patients have ever been
refused care due to financial problems.
Through the years, the hospital has gradually built up its services, employee
skills, equipment and medical staff. So that today, it offers complete
services at par with that found in other medical centers.
Those patients needing treatment no longer have to travel to Manila for
excellent medical care.
The doctors and nurses keep abreast of the latest advances in medical science
by attending scientific conferences, observing at other hospitals here and
abroad, and reading new books and journals in all branches of medicine. The
nursing service and other units of the hospital are also being continually
improved.
Lorma has an outreach program that provides charity medical services to the
outlying barrios. The LORMA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, operational in
1986, provides health care, income generating, educational and development
assistance to the rural communities of La Union. This program is funded by the
Lorma, foreign donors and by civic minded individuals from the Ilocos Region.
The hospital is now a modern 136-bed general hospital with about 180 hospital
workers; 2.9 workers for every patient on average. It IS accredited by the
Employees' Compensation Commission and the Philippine Medicare Association and
licensed for tertiary (the highest) level of services by the Ministry of Health.
The hospital is departmentalized containing separate rooms and wards for
surgical and medical cases. In 1970, it was adjudged as the Most Outstanding in
the Philippines in Community Service.
Services covered include Special and General. Surgery, Neuro-surgery , Cancer
treatment, Obstetrics, Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Medicine, Children s
Diseases, Well-Baby Clinic, Family Planning, Blood, Heart and Lung Diseases,
(X-ray), Anesthesiology, EENT. Diseases, Psychiatry, Respiratory Therapy,
Dermatology, Neurology, Dentistry Family Medicine.
Clinical services and facilities include modem air-conditioned operating
rooms for abdominal, cancer, orthopedic, urology, and neurosurgery, plastic and
chest surgery, and operative gynecology and obstetrics.
Lorma has a modem Central Supply Unit wherein hospital equipment are sterilized.
Needles and syringes
are all properly disposed to prevent cross infections. It has several
electrocardiographs, a Pulsar portable
Cardio-resuscitation system consisting of a defibrillator. Recent new equipment
purchases include 5 cardiac
monitors, a volume ventilator, and a very powerful electro-cautery machine for
urinary and other surgical procedures.
The hospital has acquired in 1997 a powerful General Electric X-ray machine.
This unit has an image intensifier, television monitor, spot film device, a
motorized electric table and an automatic cassette changer. This 1000 MA unit is
the only one of its kind outside of Manila. It is able to perform the most
complicated of procedures. Also since it is so strong, the amount of radiation
dose is greatly lessened. Very special diagnostic procedures such as angiograrns
are now possible.
Lorma’s nursery staff is on duty 24 hours a day. This department is also
divided. Into a main nursery, a premature nursery, a suspect nursery, and a
nursery for boarders. It has several modem electric incubators for premature
babies. There is a separate air-conditioned delivery room attached to the OR
department.
The laboratory has 5. ful1-time medical technologists and facilities for
routine and special examinations for blood, urine, stool and other specimens
including some highly sophisticated examinations that are not commonly
available. In June 1980, Lorma established the first pathology department in the
Ilocos Region. Now histopath specimens can be examined immediately without the
need to send them to Manila. The pathologist, who visits the hospital, consults
with the patient's doctor to discuss difficult cases. Also, for the first time
in the area, PAP smear exams can be done on site to detect cervical cancer in
women…. Another major equipment acquired by the laboratory department is a blood
gas analyzer. This is useful in the treatment of serious patients, and is unique
in Northern Luzon. The hospital also does a complete line of test for cancer,
thyroid disorders and other specialty exams not usually found in other
hospitals.
Another new piece of equipment at Lorma is the ULTRASOUND Radiology SCANNING
MACHINE. This unit is employed in diagnostic tests of the upper abdomen, the
heart and obstetric and gynecological cases. This unit is the only one in the
area fully capable of doing highly professional. Echo-.cardiography exams,.
including color studies. The hospital operates an EEG unit This is used to
diagnose injuries or other impairments to the brain. It is one of the few units
outside of Manila. The hospital recently acquired a GASTROINTESTINAL .FIBERS.COPE
(GASTROSCOPE) the newest fiber-optic instrument for the diagnosis and treatment
of most diseases of the esophagus, stomach and small Intestine for in and
out-patients. The only unit available in the province and in the Ilocos.
The hospital's INTENSIVE CARE/CORONARY CARE UNITS were brought on line
several years ago. It has the most modem, up-to-date treatment facilities for
patients suffering from heart and other serious illnesses. It contains modem
equipment such as a piped-in oxygen supply to assure a continuous flow of pure
oxygen, piped-in automatic suction units with regulators, heart monitors,
emergency crash cart and doctor call system to meet respiratory and cardiac
emergencies, a volume ventilator, a defibrillator, 3 respirators, and a thermal
draining unit. Highly skilled and specially trained nurses are assigned at a
central station, with a view to all beds, are there to assist in the needs of
the patients. Recently installed is the HTS 220 Central Station/Portable
Telemetry Monitor -the most modern unit in evaluating critically-ill patients.
Fully air-conditioned with a sound-proof environment, the lCU composed of a -
2-bed cardiac ward, 2 private rooms, an ICU ward and 3 recovery room beds. All
beds are the intensive-care type, each of which can be placed in 12 different
positions depending upon the patient's medical requirement. Since patients in
this area require more rest and quiet atmosphere, only one watcher is allowed
for ward patients and two for private rooms at the same time, and visiting hours
have to be strictly followed, which are 10- 11 :30 a.m. and 3 -5 p.m.
A modern Computerized Tomography machine is located in the hospital. It
produces excellent images of the brain and other internal organs. It is very
usefully to the medical staff for diagnostic purposes. Patients come from areas
as far away as Laoag and Baguio.
The hospital's OPD SURGICAL UNIT was opened a few years ago to provide a less
expensive, faster, and more convenient way to have minor surgeries. The unit is
air-conditioned and is fully equipped for such procedures.
Other hospital facilities include a pharmacy, business office, an out-patient
department which provides a television set which we either show films or regular
TV program for patients and their companions while waiting for their turn,
separate emergency room, patient companions' kitchen, hospital chapel, dietary
department, library and medical records department, a maintenance and
transportation department, physical therapy, Chaplaincy and Patient Relations.
