Visayas Community Medical Center : Department of Internal Medicine

A brief History of the VISAYAS COMMUNITY MEDICAL CENTER

(formerly Metro Cebu Community Hospital)
Amelita S. Guangko, MD

On April 6, 1952, the Presbyterian Mission in the United States of America and the United Church of Christ in the Philippines jointly opened Cebu Evangelical Hospital in a strategic location in the heart of Cebu City. Its main objective is to render service to the community taking into consideration the wholeness of man caring for his body, mind and spirit. Both the Gospel Ministry and the Healing Ministry are given emphasis. The mission board gave a grant of PHP 100,000.00 and a counterpart of PHP 35,000.00 was raised by the Church through a fund campaign committee chaired by Rev. David P. Martin. The first medical director was Dr. William Mcanlis. In the year 1957, the name was changed to Cebu Community Hospital as it was not attracting patients from the predominantly Catholic population.In1958 Mr.James D. McGilvray was appointed as Hospital Administrator. He revamped the composition of the Hospital Board by having more representation from the community. Dr. Chien Sheng Su was appointed medical director in 1962. It was during this time that a new wing of the hospital was constructed, the Graham Memorial Wing.increasing the bed capacity to 42. Later in 1968 an extension of the New Wing was inaugurated, increasing the bed capacity to 71. In 1972, during the medical directorship of Dr. Pacita Libi-Co, the Annex building 1 and 2 were opened increasing the bed capacity to 150. The basement area was developed as a Neuro-Psychiatric ward to provide specialized care for the mentally and emotionally disturbed patients. About a year later, a Physical Therapy was established under the supervision of Dr. Nathan Bailey. In 1978, Dr. Felix Diaz, the chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine, and Dr. Ruperto Mayuga, the senior medical resident worked hard for the accreditation of the department by the Philippine College of Physicians so that the succeeding resident graduates of the department can go into subspecialty training. In 1981, when Dr. Ermelinda Fornolles was medical director, the department of Family Medicine was organized. The other major departments Ob-Gyne, Pediatrics and Surgery also gained their accreditation in rapid succession.