BMC receives ISO renewal certificate

By Ana-Liza S. Macatangay

The Bicol Medical Center (BMC) in Naga City has received its re-certification for Quality Management System (QMS) or ISO:9001: 2015, its chief of hospital said.

BMC chief Dr. Francisco Sales III shared this good news to the hospital’s officials and staff who were all very elated that all their contributions and hard works have led to the renewal of the ISO certification.

“The re-certification from the International Organization for Standardization or ISO is a testament of our toiling to make the services and patient care better and improved. We welcome this as great news in this pandemic when we find our frontline health workers’ position as crucial and challenging. This success is a product of all the BMC community’s efforts and hard work,” Dr. Sales said.

To recall, BMC successfully passed the re-certification audit sometime in October 2020. On Dec. 16, before the year ended, ISO released the new certificate. This will be valid until June 5, 2023.

The ISO certification will have a significant bearing to the services and facilities covered by the hospital, including Level 3 Hospital’s Services provision. This includes BMC’s Dialysis Center, Kidney Transplant Facility, and Oxygen Plant Services.

The hospital’s Psychiatric Services in the Don Susano J. Rodriguez Medical Memorial Mental (BMC – Department of Psychiatry) was also covered by the ISO recertification.

Sales said that this milestone is a proof that BMC was able to carry out and has successfully fulfilled significant requirements pertaining to quality management in the ISO 9001 standard.

“Despite the challenges, especially the onset of the pandemic and our continuing battle against Covid-19, the good news is that this certification means that we were able to continuously fulfill our requirements, meet the customer’s statutory and regulatory requirements and maintained the necessary documentation, on top of other deliverables,” Sales said.

BMC’s ISO Journey

Since 2014, BMC is already an ISO-certified medical facility.

“BMC is the first hospital in Southern Luzon to receive such internationally recognized certification for quality management.

Since 2014, BMC took up the challenge of culture change. It’s an organization-wide movement that will help us improve our services. We believe that our services are not perfect, but we have to ensure that our services are continuously improving, that is the help of the ISO.

ISO is an international certifying organization that checks on us and makes sure that we are up to par,” BMC chief of Medical Professional staff Dr. Mary Jane Uy said.

The ISO certification doesn’t only benefit the hospital or its personnel, but places the patients and stakeholders’ concern on top of its priorities.

“The ISO re-certification serves is a reminder to all of us in the Bicol Medical Center, to continue our good efforts, and strive to be better in our service to the Bicolanos.” Dr. Sales said in closing. (with reports from MMCompetente-PIAV/Camarines Sur)