The ongoing renovation of the Emergency Room (ER) of Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) here is expected to be completed by the first week of January.
In a statement on Tuesday, the management of the CLMMRH, the apex hospital of the Department of Health in Negros Island Region, said the project remains on track.
“The target completion date is Jan. 5, 2026, and the project remains on schedule,” the statement said.
“The contractor, Durabuild Construction, has expressed intention to turn over the project by Dec. 31, if there are no major weather-related delays,” it added.
CLMMRH medical center chief Dr. Joan Cerrada and the hospital’s executive committee met with Health Undersecretary Mary Ann Maestral during her visit and inspection of the renovation works on Monday.
“We convey our gratitude to the DOH for the continued assistance. The upgraded ER will strengthen CLMMRH’s capacity to deliver responsive and efficient emergency care,” Cerrada said.
Maestral, meanwhile, stressed the importance of ensuring quality, safe and timely completion of the project, reaffirming the DOH’s commitment to strengthen CLMMRH’s role as a leading tertiary hospital and referral center.
The almost PHP92-million renovation project, aimed at improving and optimizing space management in the Emergency Department, led to the closure of ER services starting Sept. 28.
To assist ER patients, the CLMMRH tapped all the six private hospitals in the city through separate memorandums of agreement to ensure an uninterrupted emergency care for the community while the renovation is ongoing.
The CLMMRH Integrated Hospital Operations Monitoring System developed a bed tracker system called ER Consortium Monitoring System to match patients to available beds in CLMMRH or private hospitals.
Under the system, patients initially catered at the emergency department of a private hospital may be transferred back to CLMMRH for admission once stabilized and as soon as beds become available.
The CLMMRH covers the costs of emergency services for patients referred through the coordinated system. (PNA)