How does the color red make you feel?

It is often associated with love and comfort and is frequently used in relation to Valentine’s Day. The color red is described as warm, vibrant, and intense. It can grab attention, particularly in advertising and traffic signage.

At The Medical City (TMC) Clark, the color red takes on a new meaning.

Red is a highly visible color that signifies the hospital’s goal to exceed expectations in every aspect of patient experience at the hospital.

During its annual Media and Influencers Appreciation Night, TMC Clark showed a sneak peak of its Red Coat Ambassador program which encompasses patient experience, physician and employee engagement, and volunteerism. Present during the event held at Best Western- Metro Clark Hotel in Angeles City were the first batch of Red Coat ambassadors, TMC Clark’s Customer Relations manager and staff, the hospital’s Sales and Marketing team, and special guests. The “investiture” of the red coat ambassadors was one of the highlights of the event.

TMC’s Red Coat ambassadors are specially trained staff and retirees turned volunteers who assist patients and guests with navigation, information, and non-medical care. Their red coats (or blazers) are easily recognizable, and truly helpful in identifying the ambassadors as hospital staff who the patients can go to for assistance. They also pass on comments and suggestions to the hospital’s Customer Relations Department.

While the Red Coat Ambassador Program is a new initiative in the Philippines, it has seen great success in some of the best hospitals in the United States.

In the Philippines, it was first launched at TMC Ortigas and other network hospitals of the TMC brand. Now, patients from Central Luzon can finally experience this new level of compassionate care through TMC Clark.

The Red Coats are stationed at TMC’s Emergency Department, Billing Section, Ambulatory Center, and other diagnostic units. The ambassadors’ outreach goes far beyond a friendly smile or a simple greeting. They offer information to patients and guests, give directions or escort them to their appointments, provide a compassionate and respectful listening ear, or simply being there where and when they are needed most.

“The Red Coat Ambassador program is a movement that aims to create positive first impression on our patient partners and guests by providing them assistance with navigation and information, and sharing with them TMC’s culture of care. This program will build a meaningful human connection and upgrade personal engagement for the best ever patient experience,” says Jean Morales, TMC Clark Customer Relations Manager.

The next time you visit TMC Clark, look for the red coats.

For many people, the experience of being under enhanced community quarantine brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic was very stressful. The stress made people more anxious and sleepless even if they had more time on their hands to sleep and rest. In short, the pandemic has apparently made people sleep less and stress more.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, the leading expert in sleep science and health in the United Sates, the pandemic has disrupted our daily lives and because of this people find it hard to adjust to a new daily schedule or the lack of one. Additionally, people tend to oversleep during and this usually leaves them groggy, short tempered and unfocused throughout the day.

The foundation points out that it is important to get enough quality sleep because it helps strengthen the immune system, heightens brain function, enhances your mood and improves mental health. Here are some tips on how to sleep well during these trying times:

1. Set a schedule and routine. Establishing a routine will help bring about a sense of normalcy. This can be achieved by sleeping and waking up at the same time every day. Other activities that can be done to establish normalcy is to shower and get dressed even if you are not going out, eating meals at the same time each day and blocking off specific time periods for work and exercise.

2. Reserve your bed for sleep. If the pandemic has forced you to work from home, choose to do it in the living room or in any part of your house except your bed. Sleep experts emphasize the importance of creating an association in your mind between your bed and sleep. Hence, it is recommended that sleep and sex be the only activities that take place in your bed.

3. Spend time outdoors. Exposure to light plays a crucial role in helping our bodies regulate sleep in a healthy way. Spend some time outside and you will experience a better sleeping pattern. As much as possible, avoid using your electronic devices before you sleep as this will interfere with your body’s natural sleep promoting processes.

4. Be careful with naps. With more free time in your hands, you will be tempted to take more naps. While a short power nap early in the afternoon can be useful to some

people, it’s best to avoid long naps or naps later in the day as this will hinder night time sleep.

5. Stay active. Make time to take a walk outside while observing social distancing. Or you can exercise at home with help of online sites.

If however, you are still having problems sleeping even after following these tips, it might be time for you to consult a doctor. The Medical City Clark (TMC Clark) has a sleep unit that is manned by ENT and neurology specialists who can assess whether you have a sleeping disorder. TMC Clark launched its Sleep Laboratory, in partnership with Sleep Scienzzz Sleep Analytics and solutions that would help in the diagnosis of sleep disorders. A Polysomnography (sleep test) records your night time sleep patterns. Polysomnography is occasionally done during the day to accommodate shift workers who habitually sleep during the day. In addition to helping diagnose sleep disorders, Polysomnography may be used to help adjust your treatment plan if you have already been diagnosed with a sleep disorder.

For more information about the sleep test and other services being offered by The Medical City Clark, you can visit www.themedicalcityclark.com or call 0917 836 3704.