Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed) has been certified as a Category D Newborn Hearing Diagnostic, Intervention, Surgical and Rehabilitation Center, the highest classification under the Newborn Hearing Screening Reference Center (NHSRC). MakatiMed is only the second hospital in the Philippines to receive the distinction.
Representatives from the Department of Health, Newborn Hearing Screening Reference Center, and MakatiMed’s ENT-HNS team pose for a photo following the certification.
The certification is significant as Category D Centers go beyond newborn hearing screening. They have the capability to provide a full range of care for children identified with hearing concerns, including confirmatory hearing tests, hearing aid fitting, ear surgery such as cochlear implantation, and speech rehabilitation.
This means that a newborn who requires further assessment after screening can access the next stages of evaluation and treatment through a coordinated team within the same institution. Rather than treating hearing concerns as a single diagnostic issue, the Category D classification recognizes the need for care that may extend from diagnosis to medical or surgical intervention and rehabilitation.
The certification follows a collaborative effort among MakatiMed’s Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (ENT-HNS), Department of Pediatrics -Section of Developmental Pediatrics, and Speech Language Pathologists of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Their combined expertise covers the medical, developmental, surgical, and communication needs that may arise in children with hearing difficulties.
For families, the designation means access to a broader range of specialized services as their children’s needs become clearer. For MakatiMed, it adds another level of capability to its Pediatric and ENT services and strengthens its role in the early identification and management of childhood hearing concerns. For more information, please contact MakatiMed On-Call at +632.88888 999, email [email protected], or visit www.makatimed.net.ph. Follow @IamMakatiMed on Facebook and Twitter.