“I promise to stop taking my body for granted and give it the proper rest it deserves. I promise to make healthier choices that will improve my well-being.”
This is part of the PLEDGE FOR A HEALTHIER PHILIPPINES, as penned and is being put into action by The Medical City (TMC) by making preventive healthcare unequivocally accessible to Filipinos – they’re bringing their doctors and facilities TO A MALL. That’s how serious they are about getting the message of preventive healthcare across. And we should finally listen.
When any member of the family is even slightly sick, you can’t help but feel terrible too. Each cough, whimper, and high temperature reading sends a stab of pain to the chest and you just wish for the ordeal to be over. But what if it’s a serious disease? Diabetes, cancer — yes, we generally know about them; but it’s only when these life-threatening diseases are diagnosed in our loved ones that we start googling like crazy (to the point of seemingly becoming experts in the topic ourselves), and by then it’s too late. That’s when the adage, “An ounce of prevention is better than cure” rings regretfully true, and the discussion of health-related finances and options get real.
This campaign isn’t meant to scare; rather, makes us aware — of the things we need to do to prevent the unthinkable from happening (or at least be better-prepared to handle them), of what choices we need to make to keep our family healthy. So let’s start by getting everyone checked this weekend, mommies!
Click next to find out what services will be available at the event
Make it a family affair
There will be 10-12 doctors present at the mall facility, which will be segmented into hubs: pediatric care, cardiology, obstetrics and gynecology, and ophthalmology. There will also be a wellness area and TMC experts who will be discussing common myths about certain diseases, as well as living a healthy lifestyle, which is a huge part of preventive healthcare. As Dr. Eugenio Jose F. Ramos, Senior VP (Medical Services) of The Medical City points out, “Health is not just the absence of disease, but a total state of well-being.”
Read: Healthy Snacks Kids Will Love!
Turn the trip into a family event, as there will even be a frailty test for seniors. Best of all, the medical check-ups are FREE. By doing this, TMC hopes to “get patients to engage with doctors,” shares Dr. Ramos, as what’s “most important is the relationship between doctor and patient… a relationship where we really start to become partners.”
Patients are partners
This philosophy comes straight from the top as Dr. Alfredo R.A. Bengzon, MD, MBA, President and CEO of The Medical City explains, “The doctor is an expert in medicine and you [the patient] are an expert in your life.” But this relationship is hard to get going because as Dr. Ramos puts it, “a lot of us don’t have a health-seeking behavior and couldn’t be bothered to see a doctor until [we] experience symptoms. But if you wait for symptoms, it’s going to be too late already.” He goes on to share, “We provide the venue, the expertise, but patients need to be accountable for their own health.” Hence, the movement.
The Be Healthy Always movement is about “The Medical City sharing to the public healthcare that’s properly explained, properly accessed, and properly acted upon,” says Dr. Bengzon, MD, MBA, because he believes that health is “a fundamental human right, central to human life, and to human development.” Since TMC is about care that’s “sensible, appropriate, responsible, and participatory,” he launched this movement, bringing to light the simple truth that “preventive [healthcare] is a lot more economical than curative.” The earlier we participate in the doctor-patient relationship, the better things turn out to be.
Just the beginning
The Trinoma kick-off event is just the first in a series of milestones for the movement. Mr. Jem Bengzon, TMC Clinic Marketing Consultant shares that this is a year-long campaign “driven by healthcare companies, united in their advocacy for preventive healthcare for Filipinos.” Stay tuned to #behealthyalways, check out themedicalcity.com, or follow the movement on The Medical City Facebook page.
If you can’t make it this weekend, it’s still prudent to have the family checked. The TMC Wellness Center has basic packages (Complete Blood Count (CBC), routine urinalysis and fecalysis, chest x-ray, physical examination, etc) for kids, adolescents, adults, and seniors. Join the nationwide Be Healthy Always movement and get checked!
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