CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Directors and chiefs, pathologists, and medical technologists of government and private hospitals in Central Luzon have formed the Regional Laboratory Network (RLN) as a measure to keep services going when hospitals themselves are affected by natural disasters.
Department of Health (DOH) Region 3 Director Leonita Gorgolon said RLN “seeks to strengthen the capabilities of member-laboratories through resource and data exchange, conduct of trainings, conduct of consultation meetings where issues are discussed and solved, sharing of best practices and dissemination of administrative issuances and other directives.”
Gorgolon met here with members of the newly formed RLN during their strategic planning session. “Networking is vital during calamities such as typhoons and earthquakes. It doesn’t mean that if a specific hospital was devastated, it is on its own. Thus, there must be support coming from other hospitals that will provide laboratory services,” Gorgolon stressed.
“I am very happy because I know that we are committed to make sure that we provide quality service. In fact this has been a commitment when we had our International Organization for Standardization certification last December 18, 2013, so we are committed to abide the quality, affordability, accessibility and based on the statutory requirements,” Gorgolon added.
Meanwhile, DOH consultant Dr. Tomas Maramba disclosed that the formation of a National Health Laboratory Network (NHLN) is currently in the works.
“The NHLN shall promote laboratory services that meet local and international quality standards and provide safe working conditions for medical staff, patients and the community among others,” Maramba said.
