Charles Bernardo
De La Salle University
Pia Manalastas
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Over the past decade, as Filipinos, we have experienced determining events that shaped our way of thinking about our health. One of these events is in the Philippines, which has seen a 400 percent growth in the prevalence of dialysis in the last ten years. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the loss of millions of lives all over the world. These difficulties had made us more vigilant about our well-being. As much as possible, we attempt to seek out and demand the best possible service out there. But oftentimes this could be overlooked, and businesses tend to go more on the route of profit-making than listening to their stakeholders. But one company could attest that they are more concerned and compassionate about their stakeholders than profit margins.
AL Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory Inc. and Carmona Dialysis System Inc are sister companies established for the primary purpose of providing affordable and high-quality health care services for the people. Both have been pioneers in developing and building wellness centers that can compete with any household name. They take pride in what they do as their concern for proper health care has disrupted the economic landscape. They came up with a responsive solution to provide safe, high-quality, affordable, and accessible to everyone.
These centers also provide jobs for locals: today, the companies employ more than 100+ individuals, from nurses, testers, staff & utilities, and more. It is noteworthy that such efforts contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), respectively.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exhausted the healthcare industry long beyond its usual means. Only the strong spirit and unyielding tenacity of our heroes on the frontlines enable our country to keep on surviving. Unfortunately, because of the risk of being infected with the COVID-19 virus in public and private hospitals, people with existing health problems and conditions and those who could have developed ailments during the pandemic are skeptical and doubtful in going to hospitals even for essential health services.
The companies, besides establishing their own COVID-19 testing center that aided the public and private hospitals in solving the health crisis, through innovative methods, has pioneered and created their stand-alone dialysis center under Carmona Dialysis System Inc in 2016. It was their first initiative in providing a structured health care service provider. This dialysis center can provide services to consumers who require dialysis without going to a hospital. Patients that require dialysis often have to go to the hospital multiple times a week. If a patient no longer must go to a hospital, contracting the virus is significantly reduced. Specifically, Carmona Dialysis System Inc. plans to include dialysis centers in malls and shopping centers, particularly in the Ayala Malls, The 30TH in Pasig City, Philippines. It will provide greater convenience to both patients and consumers and help build the business market. Health care will be as easy to avail and utilize as shopping for leisure and enjoyment through business innovations.
Lastly, one of their newest initiatives is to be more available and transportable, hence conceptualizing a Mobile PCR Laboratory. COVID-19 testing can be stressful, so this idea helps taking the tension out of it and allowing mass testing to be more comfortable.
Juan Miguel David, In-house Architect and Board of Director, stated that the owner is a registered nurse with business expertise and a vision to be an innovator in healthcare and well-being. She initially heard about the possibility of a dialysis facility separating from hospitals when articles and the DOH broke out the news. Thus came the inspiration to build one, in the name of Carmona Dialysis System Inc. The goal was to be able to provide the most affordable healthcare service possible. It's only fitting, she thought, that people are experiencing one of the biggest challenges in their lives, and these people would have to face this hardship perpetually. She was thinking of her humanitarian efforts first before anything else. To back up these statements, Mr. Ernesto Mercardo says, "putting up a dialysis center is to help them not to travel a long distance going to Manila for their treatment, and for people not to spend more; for us it is cheaper."
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an economic recession, health crisis, and many other socio-economic problems and issues in the Philippines. More than that, it acted as a catalyst that significantly increased the dire need for technological innovation and advancements both in the medicine and business industry. In response, they built AL Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory Inc. COVID-19 testing centers continue to have high demand. The business owns up to the social responsibility of sustaining the life and health of people both locally and globally, it aims to be a significant role-player in solving health issues and problems, specifically during the current health crisis caused by the COVID-19 virus.
Furthermore, the reason behind constructing these wellness centers is, according to Mr. Mercardo, "to give more jobs to the people, and right now we have six dialysis centers, we employ less than a hundred people."
The two companies ensure that dialysis treatment services provided and the COVID-19 tests conducted are of the highest possible standards and provide maximum fulfillment to the needs of consumers. It is reflected through the company's values.
• Customer-focused
• Engaged Leadership
• Engaged People
• Process Approach
• Relationship Management
• Evidence-based Decision Making
The business ensures good health and well-being for consumers by providing dialysis treatments, COVID-19 tests, and healthcare services of the highest standards at a significantly lower price. With high-quality healthcare services at low prices, everyone can be equally served and satisfied.
Carmona Dialysis System Inc provides high-quality dialysis treatment and healthcare services at low prices due to a flexible business model. In doing so, they set up their return on investments at five years, higher than the usual one year for most businesses. The reason for prolonging the return of investment and lowering the prices for the services is because the company is willing to serve patients that need dialysis treatment regardless of their economic status. Technological advancements, innovations, state-of-the-art equipment and technology, dialysis treatment, and other healthcare treatments performed faster and more conveniently are stated to be among their services. Patients and consumers no longer have to go to hospitals where there is a chance to contract the COVID-19 virus.
In COVID-19 testing, AL Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory Inc. immensely helped the national and local government in the COVID-19 pandemic response and management. Back when the available testing centers were at a low, the AL Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory Inc. built and established a COVID-19 testing center with the help and coordination of the Marikina Local Government Unit. The AL Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory Inc., COVID-19 testing centers, offer services at an affordable price compared to other competing businesses.
Though dialysis treatment is for kidney problems and COVID-19 testing is for a virus that causes respiratory illness, both are equally important health problems that need to be treated and solved. Since the year 2020, the demand for these healthcare services has significantly increased.
Patients with kidney problems have to go through dialysis treatment about two to three times every week. It is often expensive, especially in the Philippines. Even the process of completing the requirements and paperwork for public hospitals is costly and inconvenient. Carmona Dialysis System Inc. plans to open dialysis centers in malls because more people see the benefits of having a stand-alone facility. They want to take advantage of offering the best possible convenience to their patients. To change the mindset that patients can find leisure and relax at the malls after a long and tiring session.
Listening to stakeholders will result in a plan for what to do next in a highly competitive market. It is easy to give up and not adapt to the current times. As we can see, the demand for high-quality healthcare services is increasing. For a business to be sustainable, it must possess minimal negative influence or potential positive impact on the community. That is why it is critical to act in the best interests of all stakeholders.
AL Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory Inc. can test people who have COVID-19 virus symptoms or need COVID-19 testing for business, travel, leisure, and various other reasons. Testing is critical to the national and local governments' objective of entirely eradicating the COVID-19 virus.
AL Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory Inc. offers cheap yet trusted services of the highest standards as an alternative to public and private hospitals for the benefit of the consumers, and further spreading of the virus by person-to-person interactions will be lessened.
By giving people the option of going to stand-alone dialysis or a COVID-19 testing center, the company helps to limit the spread of the virus. People don't need to go to the hospitals and do their procedures there. It is also beneficial to the environment because the virus is more contagious, with Delta and Lambda variants present in our country. The stand-alone approach ensures that the patient does not contract other illnesses that could infect their loved ones.
The company's humanitarian practice is an example of hope and progression to a better future. Though there are challenges that come with innovation, they are confident that they will find a way to give the best service possible. Their next project is to benefit their customers' homes and limit the spread of any illnesses in our surroundings—their response to people looking for the most outstanding services to help them live a better life.
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Ar. Juan Miguel David, In-house Architect/ Board of Director
Ernesto Mercardo, General Manager of Carmona Dialysis System Inc
AL Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory Inc. and Carmona Dialysis System Inc are sister companies established for the main purpose of providing affordable and high-quality health care services for the people. Both have been a pioneer in developing and building Wellness Centers that can compete with any household names out there. They came up with a responsive solution to provide services that are safe, high-quality, affordable, and accessible to everyone.