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Centuria aims to put Philippines in the medical tourism map

AFTER establishing a solid reputation as a quality developer, Century Properties Group is set to make a difference in the health-care industry when it launched Centuria Medical Makati, the country’s largest outpatient Information-technology-medical building in Century City, Makati.

“It is a realization of our vision to change the game in health care. Centuria Medical Makati addresses the country’s need for a point of reference when it comes to a medical tourism facility, as well as an elevated form of outpatient experience,” Century Properties Executive Chairman of the Board Jose E.B. Antonio said recently in a press statement.

According to Antonio, the soon-to-open 28-story, 74,000-square-meter facility aims to introduce game-changing methods in preventive health and outpatient care, the delivery of wellness services, as well as open greater opportunities for medical tourism in the Philippines.

Although the Philippines is still a young player in the Asean region as far as medical tourism is concerned, Antonio said Century Properties believes it should be afforded with more attention.

With its natural beauty, the existence of top hotel chains and shopping centers, as well as an English-speaking population with some of the best health-care professionals in the world, who are known for their genuine brand of care or malasakit, he said the Philippines is already at an advantage.

“A lot of medical tourism opportunities are sometimes a result of many patients’ desire to secure quality care at affordable prices while they enjoy their vacation. The Philippines is one such country that can cater to all these needs,” Antonio said.

It also helps that the present government is keen on strengthening tourism as a whole, as can be seen in its landmark tourism-promotion efforts across the globe.

He said the presence of a central facility for the patients to consider is a tangible way of securing a steady stream of patients to the country. As far as Century Properties is concerned, Antonio said the 28-year-old firm is the only developer that has a history of creating medical arts facilities, including Medical Plaza Makati, Medical Plaza Ortigas, and the medical arts center of Asian Hospital in Alabang.

Because of the success of Centuria and the demand for this kind of facility, he said Century is planning to expand to other cities nationally and regionally. Units are fully sold out. Moreover, Centuria is eyeing a 60-percent occupancy rate by the end of 2016.

Medical tourism hub

While the Philippines has been host to medical tourists for years through some of its hospitals, Antonio pointed out that it is only now that a facility is being dedicated to help sustain its growth as an industry.

“One of the challenges that this sector faced years ago is the lack of proper infrastructure to house practices specifically geared to accommodate medical tourists,” Antonio said.

As a response to the need, he said Century Properties is positioning Centuria as an aggregator of the best industry practitioners in medicine and wellness who will cater to both medical tourists and local residents.

Abroad, Centuria aims to tap a market of Filipino expatriates and foreign nationals from Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia Pacific through an international clientele network. Locally, Centuria will serve Makati and nearby cities, including its immediate catchment area in Century City, which will have a total of eight residential and office/commercial towers upon completion, as well as nearby villages San Miguel, Bel-Air, San Lorenzo and Urdaneta.

Centuria will host centers of excellence in primary care, multi-specialty surgery, dermatology and cosmetic laser treatment, multi-specialty dentistry, cosmetic and facial surgery, obstetrics and gynecology,ophthalmology/laser eye surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, urology, physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, orthopedic, dialysis, podiatry, oncology/cancer treatment and wellness, and complementary medicine.

To add even more premium on patient experience, Antonio said Centuria will implement a patient queuing system, as well as put in place medical concierge services that can even assist with travel and accommodation bookings.

Other locators in Centuria are going in the same direction: patient experience-centric. Advanced Lab Solutions, for example, is implementing a Laboratory Information System and a Bar-Coded Specimen system, to allow for accurate and systematic patient data archiving. Its clinic space and equipment, meanwhile, are sensitive to patients’ specific and actual needs with lowered MRI beds for patient convenience.

Each floor with doctors’ clinics is designed with a lounge for the convenience of patients. Parking space is ample, and a mall next door—the Century City Mall, which is easily accessible both for additional parking needs, dining, watching a movie and shopping.

Antonio said the company envisioned Centuria to provide world-class outpatient health care that is on a par with medical tourism facilities in Singapore and Thailand. Century Properties is on the right track to the objective and it aims to open this year.

Source: Businessmirror | August 23, 2016

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