The Southern Philippines Medical Center Trauma Institute has received exceptional recognition from the Department of Health Technical Working Group for Trauma Centers during their recent monitoring visit. The inspection team, led by Dr. Aireen Patricia M. Madrid and Dr. Joseph T. Juico, conducted a thorough assessment of the facility on November 13, 2025, and came away impressed by the center's performance.
Exceptional Performance Standards
Dr. Madrid, executive secretary of the DOH-TWG, expressed her admiration for the institution through social media, calling the center "truly in a league of its own" and describing it as "relentless, disciplined, and deeply committed to excellence." The inspection was part of the regular monitoring of trauma centers nationwide, designed to assess each facility's capabilities and compliance with DOH standards.
Dr. Juico, chief of the Trauma Surgery and Critical Care Section at Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, confirmed the center's outstanding performance, stating that SPMC's standards are "way above expectations" and "way beyond the basic requirements that the DOH requires." The inspection team has visited 12 government hospitals with trauma care facilities this year, with eight more remaining on their schedule.
Innovative Systems Driving Success
What sets the SPMC Trauma Center apart is its systematic approach that has achieved a remarkable mortality rate of just 2 percent for emergency and trauma cases requiring hospitalization. The center's success stems from its implementation of Five Mortality Busters protocols:
- Trauma team activation
- Red blanket protocol
- Massive transfusion protocol
- Surgical ICU policy
- Early Ambulatory Surgery for Trauma and ER Resuscitation
The trauma team activation, implemented in 2024, involves a comprehensive team of specialists who respond immediately when emergency trauma patients arrive. This multidisciplinary approach ensures rapid, coordinated care from the moment patients enter the facility.
Expanding Impact Across Mindanao
Dr. Benedict Edward Valdez, Director of the SPMC Institute of Emergency Trauma and Critical Care, emphasized the center's commitment to continuous improvement. The facility is addressing challenges such as patient follow-up rates by implementing strict monitoring systems and community education programs.
"This is an avenue of education and organizing to increase awareness for trauma prevention," Dr. Valdez explained, noting that the center plans to organize trauma prevention support groups in communities. The philosophy driving these efforts is that prevention is always cheaper than hospitalization.
SPMC has also formed partnerships with three other Mindanao medical centers to systematically improve trauma care standards across the region. The center holds the distinction of being the first training trauma and critical care facility in Mindanao and the third in the Philippines, while also being the first institute of its kind in the country.
The facility's advanced capabilities include a unique Section of Diving, Hyperbaric Medicine, and Difficult Wounds, featuring a ten-person hyperbaric chamber that was assigned during President Rodrigo R. Duterte's administration. This equipment proved invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to save lives today.
As Dr. Valdez summarized, "It takes a good system to save a life. It takes true collaboration to sustain it," highlighting the center's ultimate goal of having their emergency medicine system adopted at the national level.
