Mapúa University School of Health Sciences in collaboration with Arizona State University (ASU) recently gathered healthcare professionals, policy makers, and industry experts to discuss existing challenges surrounding the local healthcare landscape. In a panel discussion entitled “Bridging the Healthcare Gap: Concrete Solutions to Address the Workforce Crisis”, taking an integrated approach to bolstering education emerged as a vital measure to address disparities in healthcare delivery, and to raise the standard of competitiveness among Filipino healthcare professionals.
The role of technology in health education
The local healthcare landscape is besieged by the uneven distribution of healthcare professionals and services, as well as a mismatch of skills with the needs of the workforce. The prospect of working abroad has also become a serious consideration for many present and future Filipino healthcare workers in search of career development. With the vital role of the workforce in healthcare delivery, workers must have the competencies and skills needed to keep with developments within the profession.
During the discussion, former Department of Health Secretary and former Dean of the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Dr. Manuel M. Dayrit elaborated on opportunities to address challenges present in the local healthcare system. “As the population grows alongside the economy, overall demand for healthcare is expected to rise. To meet this growing demand, leveraging the comparative advantages of healthcare professionals, the public and private sectors, and other key stakeholders are crucial to deliver healthcare products and services needed by Filipinos across the nation.”
Francisco Gutierrez of Cintana Education shared the value of leveraging technology in professional healthcare education and training. As wearable technology, robotics, analytics, and artificial intelligence continue to impact healthcare systems around the world, further integrating technology in health education can lead to long-term benefits such as reduced medical errors and an enhanced healthcare experience for both professionals and patients.
The value of primary health care
In terms of local healthcare education, a significant impediment to training more healthcare workers is the availability of local clinical training experiences in hospitals, clinics, and community settings. One solution proposed during the discussion by West Visayas State University President Joselito Villaruz, M.D., Ph.D. and former De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute Dean Dr. Madeleine Sosa was to expand partnerships between universities and community-based facilities in the private and public sector, to strengthen primary care competencies through student internships and immersion programs.
Alongside partnerships at the community level, educational institutions must also continue to focus on primary health care as a foundation for health education. Defined as the process and practice of immediate health services, primary health care helps develop more positive health outcomes by emphasizing health promotion and sickness prevention rather than focusing on cure alone.
Local regulation to meet global healthcare standards
Eleanor Almoro, M.D. of the Professional Regulatory Board of Medicine mentioned that the performance of the healthcare workforce is directly linked to the quality of healthcare services delivered. Regulation isessential to define a clear framework by which healthcare professionals acquire and maintain the competencies needed to provide high-quality, safe, and patient-centric healthcare services.
Innovation through collaboration
Successfully navigating the challenges of the local healthcare landscape will require a seamless integration of the solutions presented during the discussion. Much of the work will require strong leadership, a willingness to innovate, and cooperation between the academe, the government, the private sector, and even non-profit organizations.
Dr. Malaya Santos, Dean of Mapúa’s School of Health Sciences, said, “Certainly, the local healthcare landscape presents unique complexities, but they can be overcome with strategic and sustained collaboration. As an educational institution committed to fostering social growth through innovation, digital transformation, and lifelong education, Mapúa University School of Health Sciences is ready to work with various stakeholders in taking on this challenge. For our health sciences students, our collaboration with Arizona State University, #1 in the US for innovation, empowers learners with global education to answer the needs of our local healthcare system and remain competitive around the world.”