By Myris Lee
The National Patient Navigation and Referral Center (NPNRC) continues to provide 24/7 services to interconnect and facilitate communication between Filipinos in need of medical assistance and hospitals despite the declining trend of COVID-19 cases.
The NPNRC, formerly known as One Hospital Command System which only refers COVID-19 patients to hospitals and health facilities, has expanded its services to non COVID-19 patients nationwide.
They also connect indigent and financially-constrained patients with the Malasakit Centers in different health facilities.
“Ang ating One Hospital Command Center ay nabuo dahil sa COVID-19 response. So, ngayon, na-launch na tayo as the National Patient Navigation and Referral Center, so meaning to say, hindi na lang COVID-19 ang hina-handle natin but we also handle non-COVID patients,” NPNRC Operations Manager Dr. Bernadette Velasco said in Laging Handa on Friday, June 10.
“We are still continuing po ang 24/7 services po natin so that ang community po natin ay may tatawagan anytime po na kailangan nila ng medical assistance,” Velasco added.
Velasco also asked the public to refrain from prank-calling NPNRC’s hotline numbers.
“Ang aming panawagan lang po sa mga callers natin, iwasan po natin na gamitin ‘yung mag hotline numbers or tumawag sa hotline numbers na prank callers po natin,” she said.
“So we’re reserving po ang aming numbers para sa nangangailangan ng medical assistance,” she added. – ag
