FamilyDOC, the country’s largest clinic retail chain under Ayala Healthcare Holdings, Inc. (AC Health) recently signed a two-year partnership agreement with De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute (DLSHSI) that aims to provide opportunities to advancing health human resource training and development.
Through the partnership, FamilyDOC will implement various programs that will enable DLSHSI students and graduates to undergo training in its clinic network, and will open opportunities for recruitment and career advancement.
FamilyDOC General Manager, Raymund Paul Darroca said that the clinic chain focuses on building strategic partnerships with like-minded institutions that value quality service for the community. Darroca added that the partnership would also help address issues on recruiting medical and allied health professionals.
“We are on track to opening a hundred clinics by 2020 and we would need at least 500 medical professionals to keep up with our operations. Through this partnership, we expect to develop a sustainable way of training and hiring talents fresh from the medical schools,” Darroca said.
FamilyDOC currently has over 100 primary care physicians and 350 allied health professionals fully employed across its clinic network. These primary care physicians are undergoing an in-house Family Medicine Residency Program, accredited by the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians (PAFP). After the three-year program, FamilyDOC physicians will become family medicine specialists.
DLSHSI Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Dr. Juanito Cabanias said that FamilyDOC would expand career opportunities for its students and graduates, and would serve as a concrete channel to give back to the community through quality healthcare.
“We strongly encourage our graduates to first serve our country and FamilyDOC is the perfect set-up since it is more focused on community engagements. We also believe in its mission and vision that is why we opted to partner with them,” Cabanias added.
Also present in the signing ceremony were Ayala Corporation’s Group Head for Corporate Resources, John Philip Orbeta, AC Health Chief Finance Officer, Josette Abarca, AC Health Board of Director, Gerardo Ablaza, and DLSHSI President, Bro. Gus Boquer.
Aside from DLSHSI, FamilyDOC has earlier signed a similar agreement with other academic institutions such as University of Perpetual Help System DALTA – Las Pinas, Molino & Calamba Campus, Centro Escolar University, Adamson University, Silliman University, University of Nueva Caceres, and Ateneo de Manila University.
“We want to reach as many institutions and students as possible to reintroduce primary care and family medicine, and the value it brings to the community and to the nation,” Darroca said.
