BERNADINE G. SALADO.BMLS-2B

What is Medical Technology?

Medical technology as defined by Ruth Heinemann(1963) is "the application of principles of natural, physical, and biological sciences to the performance of laboratory procedures which aid in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases."

Anna Fagelson(1961) defined it as "the branch of medicine concerned with the performance of laboratory determinations and analyses used in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease and the maintenance of health."

Walters defined medical technology or clinical laboratory science "as the health profession concerned with performing laboratory analyses in view of obtaining information necessary in the diagnosis and treatment of disease as well as in the maintenance of good health."

All in all Medical technology is a part of the health technology, which encompasses a wide-range of health care products and, in one way or another, is used to diagnose, monitor or treat every disease or condition that affects humans.

HISTORY

Early History

In the year 460 B.C. when the Greek, physician Hippocrates also known as the father of medicine formulated the famous Hippocratic Oath, the code of ethics for practicing physicians. Hippocrates described four "humors" or body fluids in man namely- the blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile. These four humors or body fluids were felt to be the source of a person's disposition and disease in ancient times.

Visual examination of urine at the bedside could diagnose illness. Astrology, superstition and folk-lore often influences ancient physicians in making diagnoses, but they made credible observation about urine. Urinalysis or the study of urine has been passed down from ancient times and is regarded as the oldest laboratory procedures today.

In the year 1500 B.C. a medical technologist named Vivian Herrick traces the beginning of medical technology when the intestinal parasites such as Taenia and Ascaris were first identified. Ebers Papyrus, believe that medical technology began when a book for treatment of disease published, this book also contained the description of the three stages of hookworm infection and the disease it could produce to human.

Another person in named Ruth Williams believe that medical technology began from the medieval period (1096-1438) as supported by

the fact that urinalysis was a fad. Early Hindu doctors made the "scientific observation" that the urine of certain individual attracted ants, and that such urine has a sweetish taste. In the 14th century Anne Fagelson believe that medical technology started when a prominent Italian doctor at the University of Bologna employed Alessandra Giliani to perform different tasks in the laboratory, unfortunately she died due to laboratory acquired infection.

Medical technology developed as the years passed. In 1632, Anton Van Leeuwenhoek invented and improved the compound microscope. He was the first to describe red blood cells, to see protozoa, and to classify bacteria according to shape. His invention led to the rapid progress of microbiology and pathology. As science progressed, laboratory tests were greatly improved. In 1848, Herman Fehling performed the first quantitive test for urine sugar.

At the same time, the rapid advancement of our chemistry laid the ground work for the development of our modern clinical chemistry.

History of Medical Technology in the Philippines

World War II is the most widespread war that occurred from 1939 to 1945. On the day Pearl Harbor was invaded by Japan (December 7, 1941) three days after Japan invaded Philippines causing wrath of the US. The war between the two rivals was very grave. Sickness and death due to illnesses were rampant.

In 1944, US bases were built in Leyte (around 75 miles away from Manila Bay). This made possible for the Us to bring in members of the health care team to the Philippines to resolve the health problems of soldiers and Filipinos.

Real medical facilities were made available to the Philippines, which includes the 26th Medical Laboratory of the 6th US Army. The said laboratory was located at Quiricada, Sta. Cruz, Manila, but now known as the Public Health Laboratory, a division of the Manila Health Department. As early as February of that year, training of civilians to become members of the health care team was already being done.

The 6th US Army left the laboratory on June 1945. The laboratory was endorsed to the National Department of Health but the department did not seem to be interested in pursuing the objectives of laboratory.

The World War ended on September 1945, and barely a month after, the laboratory was formerly re-organized by Dr. Alfredo Pio de Roda and assisted by Dr. Mariano Icasiano who was then the Manila City Health Officer. The laboratory was later name Manila Public Health Laboratory.

A training program for individuals aspiring to become laboratory workers was offered in 1947 by dr. Pio de Roda, in collaboration with Dr. Prudencia Sta. Ana. Trainees were mostly high school graduates and

paramedical graduates. The training proved to be ineffective because the trainees were never motivated and there was no program that was supposed to last for a definite period and no certificates were issued to trainees.

Realizing this, Dr. Pio de Roda instructed Dr. Sta. Ana to prepare a formal syllabus of the training program. In 1954, the training began using a syllabus and it was to last for 6 months. A short while after Dr. Briones joined the two.

The training program offered by Dr. Pio de Roda did not last long, for during the same year, the formal education of Medical Technology in the Philippines began.

PAMET

The Philippine Association of Medical Technologist, Inc.(PAMET, Inc.) is the national organization of all registered medical technologist in the Philippines. It is a non-stock profit organization.

Mr. Crisanto G. Almario at the Public Health Laboratory in Sta. Cruz, Manila, organized it on September 15, 1963. He is "The Father of PAMET".

It had its first convention and election of officers on September 20, 1964 at the Far Easter University where in Mr. Charlemagne Tamondong became the first president.

It was incorporated and registered at the Securities mid Exchange Commission on October 14, 1969 with Reg. No. 39570, during the presidency of Mr. Nardito D. Moraleta.

On June 21, 1969, R.A. 5527 also known as the Philippine Medical Technology Act was enacted into law.

On June 22, 1973, P.D.223 was approved creating the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). PAMET was officially recognized as the only Accredited Professional Organization (APO) of registered Medical Technologists in the Philippines.

PAMET is a national body with forty-six (46) chapters nationwide totaling to more than twelve thousand (12,000) members.

PAMET is affiliated with other local professional associations namely Council Of Professional Health Associations (COPHA), Philippine Federation of Professional Associations (PFPA), Council of Health Agencies (CHAP) and Philippine Council for Quality Assurance in Clinical Laboratories (PCQACL).

Internationally, PAMET is affiliated with ASEAN Association of Clinical Laboratory Sciences (AACLS), Asia Association of Medical

Laboratory Scientists (AAMLS), International Federation of Biomedical Laboratory Scientists (IFBLS) and Asia-Pacific Federation of Clinical Biochemistry (APFCB).

PASMETH

PASMETH is the national organization of all recognized schools of Medical Technology in the Philippines. It was formed in 1970 in the hopes of maintaining the highest standards of Medical Technology/Public Health education and to foster closer relations among these schools.

On May 13, 1970, Director Narciso Albarracin appointed Dr. Serafin Juliano and Dr. Gustavo U. Reyes to organize an association of Deans/Heads of Schools of Medical Technology and Hygiene. The first organizational meeting was held at the University of Santo Tomas on June 22, 1970. Dr. Gustavo Reyes became the first president of PASMETH.

It was formally registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 6, 1985 thru the Committee on Legislation chaired by Mr. Cirilo S. Cajucom with the help of a legal counsel, Atty. Dexter Bihis.

SCHOOLS offering MTS courses in the Philippines

ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES AGO FOUNDATION COLLEGE AGO MEDICAL & EDUCATIONAL CENTERBICOL CHRISTIAN COLL.OF MED ANGELES UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY BRENT HOSPITAL, INC.-ZAMBOANGA CITY BUTUAN DOCTORS COLLEGE (BUTUAN DR. HSP. SCH. OF NRSNG.) CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITYTUGUEGARAO CALAYAN EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION INC.(MEDICAL CENTER LUCENA) CEBU DOCTORS UNIVERSITY CENTRAL LUZON DOCTOR'S HOSPITAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION CENTRAL PHILIPPINE UNIVERSITY CENTRO ESCOLAR UNIVERSITY-MANILA COLEGIO DE SAN AGUSTIN-BACOLOD COLEGIO DE SAN LORENZO RUIZ DE MANILA, INC. COLLEGE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT OF MANILA DE OCAMPO MEMORIAL COLLEGES DIPOLOG MEDICAL CENTER COLLEGE FOUNDATION, INC DR. CARLOS S. LANTING COLLEGE-Q. C. DR. P. OCAMPO COLLEGES EMILIO AGUINALDO COLLEGE-MANILA FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY-NICANOR REYES MEDICAL FOUNDATION FATIMA MEDICAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, INC.-VALENZUELA ILIGAN MEDICAL CENTER COLLEGE, INC. ILOILO DOCTORS' COLLEGE LORMA COLLEGE LYCEUM NORTHWESTERN LYCEUM OF BATANGAS MANILA CENTRAL UNIVERSITYCALOOCAN CITY MAPANDI MEMORIAL COLLEGE

MARTINEZ MEMORIAL COLLEGE MEDINA COLLEGE-OZAMIS CITY MEDINA COLLEGE-PAGADIAN (ST.JOHN GEN. HOSP.& COLL.) MINDANAO MEDICAL FOUNDATION COLLEGE MINDANAO SANITARIUM & HOSPITAL COLLEGE OF MEDICAL ARTS FNDTN MISAMIS UNIVERSITY-OZAMIS CITY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NOTRE DAME OF MARBEL UNIVERSITY NUEVA ECIJA COLLEGE OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITYVALENZUELA PHILIPPINE WOMEN'S UNIVERSITY MANILA REMEDIOS T. ROMUALDEZ MEDICAL FOUNDATION RIVERSIDE COLLEGE SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY SAN JUAN DE DIOS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC SAN PEDRO COLLEGE-DAVAO CITY SILLIMAN UNIVERSITY SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY ST. SCHOLASTICA'S COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES-TACLOBAN THE GOOD SAMARITAN COLLEGES CABANATUAN CITY TRINITY UNIVERSITY OF ASIA (TRINITYQC) UNCIANO COLLEGES & MEDICAL CENTER-ANTIPOLO UNIVERSIDAD DE ZAMBOANGA (ZAEC) UNIVERSITY OF BAGUIO UNIVERSITY OF LA SALETTE-SANTIAGO UNIVERSITY OF LUZON (LUZON COLL.) UNIVERSITY OF NEGROS OCCIDENTALRECOLETOS UNIVERSITY OF PANGASINAN UNIVERSITY OF PERPETUAL HELP RIZAL-CALAMBA CAMPUS UNIVERSITY OF PERPETUAL HELP RIZAL-LAS PINAS UNIVERSITY OF PERPETUAL HELP SYSTEM-LAGUNA UNIVERSITY OF SAN AGUSTIN UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS UNIVERSITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION-DAVAO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINESMANILA UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINESVISAYAS-ILOILO CITY VELEZ COLLEGE VIRGEN MILAGROSA UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION