TMC Iloilo earns second WSO Angels Gold Status for stroke care

ILOILO CITY — For patients experiencing a stroke, every minute counts. At The Medical City Iloilo, this means putting timely, quality stroke care into action, an effort recognized by the World Stroke Organization (WSO) Angels Awards Gold Status for two consecutive years. This year’s award was presented on August 12 during the 27th Annual Convention of the Stroke Society of the Philippines at the EDSA Shangri-La Manila. WSO Angels Awards recognizes hospitals that meet rigorous quality standards in acute stroke care, including rapid diagnosis, prompt treatment, coordinated teamwork, and adherence to internationally accepted clinical protocols.

Putting timely stroke care into action For stroke patients from neighboring provinces, timely treatment depends on how quickly healthcare teams coordinate across hospitals. In Roxas City, Capiz, a patient experiencing a sudden stroke needed urgent transfer to TMC Iloilo because rtPA, a medicine that helps restore blood flow to the brain, was unavailable locally. Still within the critical 4.5-hour treatment window, healthcare teams from Roxas and Iloilo coordinated a transfer and met halfway in Dumarao, Capiz. The patient was then admitted to TMC Iloilo's Acute Stroke Unit and discharged 13 days later. In June 2026, a similar response helped a 60-year-old patient from Antique who suffered an acute ischemic stroke. Through TMC Iloilo's Rendezvous Thrombolysis Program, teams met halfway in San Joaquin, where rtPA was administered before she continued to TMC Iloilo for further care. She was discharged 10 days later with improved neurological status. Together, these cases demonstrate how established referral pathways and coordination between healthcare teams can help patients access timely, specialized stroke care despite the distance.

What this means for patients Timely and expert treatment can improve the chances of functional recovery, including walking, speaking, and performing daily activities, while reducing the risk of long-term disability and supporting better survival and overall outcomes. At TMC Iloilo, healthcare teams and referral partners work together to support this approach. As a result, patients across Western Visayas can receive timely, specialized stroke care more accessible, even when distance is a challenge.