Preventive, promotive, primary health care in DOH retained hospitals : the hospitals as centers of wellness program

Through this program, DOH hospitals began to assume a major role in disease prevention and health promotion, working hand in hand with their public health counterparts, and moving beyond their traditional cure-oriented focus. This monograph describes HCWP, its implementation, and recommendations for its development. Designed on the basis of results of a baseline survey and pilot testing, HCWP aims at disease prevention and health promotion through a primary health care approach, with emphasis on education and technology transfer, healthy lifestyles, and social equity. The program, through its comprehensive approach, transforms hospitals into "Centers of Wellness," characterized by the "six Cs": comprehensive health care, competent, caring and compassionate, culture-friendly, community-oriented, and clean and green. In the view of the author, determination of the true economic costs and benefits of disease prevention and health promotion in hospitals can greatly affect the efficacy and well-roundedness of health financing schemes propounded by the DOH, particularly the national Health Insurance Program recently enacted into law. Includes references.