TACLOBAN CITY– The Eastern Visayas Medical Center (EVMC)based this city, has reached full capacity at its emergency room (ER), prompting hospital officials to urge nearby health facilities and the public to refer only critical or tertiary-level cases requiring immediate and specialized medical attention.
In an advisory issued Wednesday, Oct. 29, EVMC confirmed that its ER is now operating beyond its authorized bed capacity due to a surge in patient admissions.
The hospital, the largest tertiary and referral medical facility in Eastern Visayas, serves patients not only from Tacloban City and Leyte but also from the neighboring provinces of Samar, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Biliran, and Southern Leyte.
“To ensure the welfare of every patient, we remind our partner hospitals to refer only those cases that truly need tertiary care,” the advisory stated.
The hospital also warned that if the patient influx continues, new arrivals may need to remain temporarily in ambulances while medical personnel attend to earlier admissions.
EVMC management assured the public that measures are being implemented to manage the situation, including optimizing available resources, coordinating with local hospitals, and ensuring that all admitted patients continue to receive proper care.
“We assure everyone that the hospital is doing everything possible to manage this situation. We thank the public for their understanding and cooperation,” EVMC said.
The hospital’s appeal reflects the continuing challenge of patient congestion in government medical centers across the region, underscoring the need for improved health infrastructure and referral systems to ease the strain on major hospitals like EVMC.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
