Documenting traditional healthcare practice outcomes: A retrospective data workshop

On 26 June 2025, the Institute of Philippine Culture (IPC) of the Ateneo de Manila University’s Dr Rosita G Leong School of Social Sciences (RGL-SoSS) conducted a hybrid training session on secondary data gathering for the “Traditional Medicine and Complementary Health Recording, Reporting, and Integration for National Development” (TaMaHRRiND) Project, which is funded by the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC).

Led by Dr Dennis B Batangan, MD, MSc (Heid) (RLIGAS-RGL-SoSS Research Fellow), Jose Francisco A Santiago (RGL-SoSS-IPC Research Assistant), and Mariella Joi Pelobello (RGL-SoSS-IPC Research Assistant), the session introduced partner facility staff to the process of gathering data of retrospective acupuncture patient records. Data collected aims to support the pilot implementation of an electronic medical records (EMR) system for Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine (TCIM).

Participants included representatives from the following partner facilities: Integrative Medicine for Alternative Healthcare Systems Philippines, Inc. (INAM Philippines), Philippine Academy for Acupuncture Inc. (PAAI), and Healthdev Integrative Clinics, Inc. The session covered the project’s data collection protocols, contingency measures, confidentiality safeguards, and data privacy procedures. It was also observed online by Dr. Isidro C. Sia (Head of INAM Philippines) and Dr. Webster Wilbert R. Lim (Head of PAAI), both of whom provided valuable feedback that helped refine the secondary data gathering methodology and implementation strategy.

This initiative lays critical groundwork on advancing efforts to integrate TCIM practices into the national health information system and enhancing recognition and accessibility of traditional and complementary healthcare in the Philippines.