Stroke Rehabilitation in the Philippines: An Audit Study

Consuelo B. Gonzalez-Suarez  is a practicing physiatrist in hospitals in Metromanila, Philppines.   She is currently a professor in the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines and is researcher  at the Center for Health Research and Movement Science of the University of Santo Tomas.  She is currently the chair of the Clinical Practice Guideline Committee of the Philippine Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine and is the project leader of the Implementation of the Stroke Rehabilitation Clinical Practice Guidelines   in the Philippines

Karen Grimmer is an allied health epidemiologist and biostatistician, who is the director of the International Centre for Allied Health Evidence, University of South Australia (www.unisa.edu.au/cahe).  She is committed to improving healthcare practices by applying evidence-based practice principles.

Isaias P. Alipio, Jr., MD, FPARM is both an academician and a clinician. He is an Assistant Professor in the College of Medicine at the Mariano Marcos State University and the University of Northern Philippines and;  the former dean of  three physical therapy schools. He chairs the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation departments of fourmajor hospitals in Northern Philippines. He is the recipient of the 2015 Dr. Jose P. Rizal Memorial Award in Clinical Practice by the Philippine Medical Association

Elda Grace Anota-Canencia, MD has been practicing as a physiatrist in several hospitals in Cebu City, Philippines since 2001.  She has been a Facilitator in Cebu Institute of Medicine (CIM) on  Problem-Based Learning.  She was working as a part-time faculty member at Velez College - College of Physical and Occupational Therapy in Cebu City.  She was also the Head of the Department of Physical Therapy of Remedios Trinidad Romualdez Memorial Foundation (RTRMF) in Tacloban City, Philippines and presently has continued to be a consultant of the department.  She has been serving as a Physiatrist in charity centers in Lapu-lapu City in Cebu, Paknaan in Mandaue City in Cebu, Naga City in Cebu.

Maria Luisa Santos-Carpio, MD, FPARM is currently the Head of Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine Section at the Davao Medical School Foundation Hospital. She likewise holds the position of Mindanao Member-at-Large  for the Philippine Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine and President for Philippine Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine Mindanao Chapter.  She is an Associate Professor of the Davao Medical School Foundation.   

Janine Margarita Dizon is a researcher  at the Center for Health Research and Movement Science, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines. Janine’s work is in the area of teaching and implementing evidence-based health care practices in health care for quality health service delivery. She has been awarded a fellowship by Stellenbosch University to work on guideline methodological approaches and evaluation for South African Guidelines Excellence project

Lauren Anne S. Liao, MD  completed her residency training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of  Santo Tomas Hospital, Philippines. She is a practicing physiatrist in various hospital in Metromanila and Batangas.   She is currently a part of the working group in establishing an updated clinical practice guideline for stroke in the Philippines.

Dr. Jan-Tyrone Cabrera is training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital in Manila, Philippines. He is a practicing physiatrist and is an active medical consultant in various hospitals in Metro Manila, Bulacan and Nueva Ecija. He is an associate member of the Philippine Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine and has been working with them in the nationwide implementation of Philippine Stroke Clinical Practice Guidelines

Dr.  Romil M. Martinez is currently employed and chairman of the Rehabilitation Unit of Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center in Marikina, Philippines. He  was the past-president of the Philippine Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine and presently co-chair of the Philippine Board of Rehabilitation Medicine. In the past 15 years, his  practice is concentrated in neuro- rehabilitation, pain medicine, electrodiagnosis, and bone densitometry.

Dr.  Eulalia J Beredo, has been the consultant of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine of the Philippine Orthopedic Center since 1989 and is the current Chair since 2006. She was the President of the Philippine  Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine (2014-2015) and is the current President of the Philippine Medical Association- Makati Medical Society Chapter. She was a member of the Research Committee of the Philippine Orthopedic Center and is currently a member of the Ethics Review Board. She has been an active advocate of researches in the field of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Dr.  Carolina M. Valdecañas, MD is currently practicing at St. Luke’s Medical Center, Quezon City, Philippines and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Manila, Philippines. She was the Assistant Chairman of the Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine of St Luke’s Medical Center from 1993 - 2003. She is currently  the Project Leader of the  Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) in Low Back Pain (LBP) of the Philippine Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine (PARM). 

Dr.  Vania Yu is an active consultant of St. Luke's Medical Center,  Quezon City, Philippines.   She was the former chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation from  1993-2003.  She was the  head of the Quality Management Team of the Weight Management Center of St Luke's 2009 – 2013 and  presently  the adviser to the Quality Management Team of the Department of of Philippine Medicine and Rehabilitation  of St. Luke's Medical Center.