CEO Insights Magazine

The healthcare industry is a vast and rapidly growing sector that is vital to the well-being of individuals and communities worldwide. The growth of the industry can be attributed to several factors, including advances in medical technology, increasing demand for healthcare services, and an aging population. The healthcare industry is also expanding globally with emerging markets presenting significant growth opportunities. Melfred D. Sumaya is the President and CEO of HealthServ Los Banos Medical Center(a Mount Grace Hospitals, Inc.). He is a licensed Physiotherapist and has a master's degree in Business Administration and Hospital Management. Melfred brings to the table over 20 years of experience working for various firms as Senior Manager for Asian Hospital and Medical Center, General Manager for WellPoint Medical Clinic, Head of Operations for MyHealth Clinics, Chief Operating Officer of Mother Teresa of Calcutta Medical Center, Chief Operating Officer of Westlake Medical Center and, President of HealthServ Los Banos Medical Center currently. In an in-depth conversation with CEO Insights magazine, Melfred shares with us his professional journey and the various lessons he has gathered on the way. Let’s hear it from him.

What are the latest challenges hindering people from making the right lifestyle choices?

There are many challenges that can hinder people from making the right lifestyle choices such as lack of motivation, limited access to healthy options, and more. Making the right lifestyle choices can be a complex and multifaceted process and is important to promote lasting positive change. The major challenge is the inability to see the risks involved in physical health, business relationships, or personal relationship. If one can see the possibility of the risks, and the advantages and disadvantages associated with them, the choices we make can be altered and help us reach a more informed, conscious, and healthy decision.

You possess over two decades of industry experience. What is your leadership approach? What has your path to success been like and what is your success mantra?

My leadership style is transformational since I believe in improvements and transformation for the growth of people and the organization. I want to bring about change that can benefit patients, doctors, customers, and employees. To be able to implement change, a leader must be able to influence people, earn respect and lead with knowledge. I try to walk the talk to inspire my team to generate resources and outcomes. My path to success has been determined not just by hard work but also by being smart, effective, and competitive in the situation. Developing a comprehensive strategy for growth and staying flexible and adaptable are also essential for staying ahead of the curve. My success mantra is to always think ahead since it allows me to plan for the long term instead of just reacting to the short term and always provide superior services than what already exists in the system.

Tell us about some of the toughest challenges you have encountered in your journey so far. How did you overcome them and what did you learn from them?

The toughest challenges that I have encountered through my professional journey working in a healthcare setup is when it requires recovery measures and the need to change in structure, process, and team members in order to overcome the difficulties and challenges. Based on my two decades of experience, I can vouch that all companies can be saved if managed efficiently by experts who have the necessary skills and abilities to enable recovery measures. I truly believe that all things are possible and all things can be improved.

I focus on identifying and prioritizing what must be done. The first is to review and improve the process to make it more efficient and robust. The second is to organize the structure and maximize the space to generate revenue. Last but not the least, is to make sure that the team is still aligned with the strategic goals of the company.

What is the future destination you are heading towards?

In the future, I would like to share my knowledge, experience, and learnings with my team, who can be future leaders. I also aim to be the first initiator in the Philippines who can inspire the healthcare sector to adapt and leverage technology for increased efficiency and accuracy.

In light of your strong experience within the industry, what advice would you give to budding industry leaders?

I would advise them to continue to explore and learn. Technology is very essential in healthcare and should be adopted by hospitals for all processes. Also, learning and applying Artificial Intelligence in hospitals is the future. So, budding industry leaders must learn about technology and AI for robust, more efficient, and hassle-free operations and generate more revenue.

Melfred Diaz Sumaya, President & CEO, HealthServ Los Banos Medical Center,(a Mount Grace Hospitals, Inc.)

Melfred D. Sumaya is a licensed Physiotherapist with over twenty years of healthcare management work experience in both ambulatory clinics and hospital settings. He formulates and executes strategic action plans to increase profitability and revenue for the organization.