DOH offers non-emergency care facility to ease hospital congestion in Calabarzon

 DOH offers non-emergency care facility to ease hospital congestion in Calabarzon

ALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) – Patients in need of urgent care services other than emergency room treatment can now find relief from a dedicated medical facility.

There is an alternative care center known as Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Services (BUCAS) that caters to non-life-threatening medical conditions and, in the process, addresses congestion in hospitals, according to the Department of Health (DOH)-Calabarzon.

During the Philippine Information Agency’s Sulong Calabarzon program, DOH Calabarzon’s medical officer Dr. Felices Emerita P. Perez emphasized the importance of the BUCAS centers as hospitals across the region often experience patient overflow, especially in emergency rooms.

“By providing these urgent care services, we can reduce the strain on our hospitals, ensuring that emergency rooms are available for critical cases while still providing quality care for less severe conditions,” Perez said.

“Those that are not (on emergency status) can come to the BUCAS Center. From the word ‘open’, BUCAS can provide urgent care and ambulatory services for them. That’s for out-patients and not admission,” she added.

DOH likewise plans to establish more of these centers in underserved areas and where hospital congestion is most severe in Calabarzon.

The BUCAS program establishes dedicated facilities where patients can receive immediate care for minor injuries, illnesses, and other non-critical medical concerns. 

Rural areas, which often lack sufficient medical facilities, will benefit significantly from the new centers. 

Also, the centers will serve as an additional training opportunity for healthcare workers to deliver high-quality medical care close to their communities. (AM/PIA-4A)