From left, Dr. Eugene F. Ramos, President and CEO of The Medical City Enterprise, Rev. Fr. Roland Moraleja and Jose Xavier “Eckie” Gonzales, The Medical City Enterprise Chairman of the Board, cut the ribbon to signify the opening of the Center for Integrative Medicine.
With the goal of providing a holistic approach to healthcare, The Medical City (TMC) Clark recently launched the Center for Integrative Medicine which is located at the Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC).
Led by Dr. Jessica Cueto De Leon, the Center for Integrative Medicine aims to provide a unique health service that complements conventional practices that contribute to the patient’s overall well-being.
“We are launching a new line of health services that offer a unique alternative to non-traditional, non-conventional services – the concept of integrative medicine,” explained Dr. Jose Ranilo M. Paule, TMC Clark ASC Medical Director.
“The newly constructed Center will serve as a landing venue and of course will provide a legitimate personality to our group of competent doctors who will offer their services here at ASC,” he added.
Johns Hopkins Medical Center defines Integrative Medicine as “an approach that uses the best evidence-based practices to enhance conventional care. It encompasses a broad range of therapeutic approaches to achieve optimal health and wellness for those who are ill or those who are concerned about disease prevention.”
Initially, TMC Clark’s Center for Integrative Medicine will offer massage therapy, medical acupuncture, nutrition and dietary supplements and IV Drips that include Myer’s Push, Immune Boost Therapy, Acne Therapy and Glutathione Therapy.
Among those who were present during the launch were TMC Enterprise President and CEO Dr. Eugene F. Ramos, TMC Enterprise Chairman of the Board Jose Xavier B. Gonzales and TMC Clark President and CEO Dr. Almario G. Jabson.
In his remarks, Dr. Ramos noted that while hospitals had all the latest equipment and diagnostic tools to diagnose all kinds of diseases, they are not equipped to look into how people think and feel.
“When we talk about integration, we talk about integration of mind and body. It has an impact on the systems of the body down to the level of the microcondia, how we generate energy and how we react to the stimulus and the integration again to the body goes in terms of the integration of the individual to the community,” Dr. Ramos said.
He also lauded TMC Clark for taking up the challenge to convince doctors and patients to be part of this fully integrated ecosystem.
“We do not want to lose sight of the fact that integrative medicine is not just about medicine the way Western Medicine has taught us which is basically pharmaceuticals. This is medicine that heals the mind and heals the body,” Dr. Ramos said.
For his part, Gonzales said he was happy that TMC Clark was also looking into the holistic approach in dealing with medicine and lauded the team for opening the center with minimal to almost no cost to the hospital.
“I don’t know what sort of convincing powers that Dr. Jabson had but I really don’t know how the hospital was able to open up this center with no cost at all,” Gonzales said. “TMC Clark was also able to beat the main hospital in putting up this center.”
