When Dr. Eugenio Jose F. Ramos assumed the role of President and CEO of The Medical City (TMC) Enterprise in late 2018, he inherited a healthcare network struggling due to management challenges in previous years. To turn the situation around, he implemented sweeping reforms that transformed the hospital’s traditional hierarchical structure into a flatter, matrix-based organization. This restructuring required not only a change in organizational design but also a complete cultural shift. Leading by example, Dr. Ramos engaged with staff through open-door policies, town halls, and informal team meetings to ensure a smooth transition to the new system.
The result was remarkable. By 2019, TMC experienced double-digit growth and achieved its highest-ever revenue across its Philippine operations.
A Parallel Career
Dr. Ramos is not only a leader in hospital management but also a distinguished cardiologist. With over four decades of experience in medicine and corporate leadership, he has held senior positions in the pharmaceutical industry since 1988. He served as the 45th national president of the Philippine College of Cardiology in 2009 and became a fellow of the American College of Medicine in 2010.
About The Medical City
TMC Enterprise is the largest healthcare network in the Philippines, comprising a flagship hospital in Metro Manila, four provincial hospitals in Clark, Iloilo, Laguna, and Pangasinan, and more than 50 ambulatory clinics across the country. Beyond the Philippines, TMC also owns and operates Guam Regional Medical City, the first and only private hospital in Guam.
‘Where Patients are Partners’ Philosophy
With the organizational structure stabilized, Dr. Ramos shifted focus to cultural and digital transformation. In 2019, he established the Center for Innovation and Lifelong Learning to institutionalize innovation and continuous improvement within TMC. That same year, he launched the Red Coat Movement, a first-of-its-kind initiative in the Philippines that redefined patient-partnership in healthcare.
TMC’s core philosophy, “Where Patients are Partners,” is embedded in every aspect of the hospital’s policies and processes. This approach reframes healthcare delivery by recognizing patients as active participants in their own well-being rather than passive recipients of medical treatment. Dr. Ramos emphasized that this philosophy upholds the patient’s fundamental rights while also fostering accountability for their health. It is supported by tools, education, and systems that promote open communication and informed decision-making.
This progressive approach earned TMC the Customer Service Initiative of the Year Award from HealthCare Asia in 2020.
Advancing Research and Innovation
To solidify TMC’s leadership in healthcare, Dr. Ramos prioritized strengthening clinical and biomedical research. The establishment of the Clinical and Translational Research Institute, which includes a Biomedical Research Unit, provided a robust framework for managing high-level medical research. This initiative has helped TMC secure international research grants and academic collaborations supported by the Philippine Department of Science & Technology.
Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, TMC introduced the innovative “TMC One Complex, Two Hospital Systems” strategy to ensure patient safety. This system created separate emergency rooms, diagnostic labs, hospital wards, and elevators for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. This pioneering approach became a best practice model for other hospitals in the Philippines, earning TMC multiple awards, including two PR Awards in 2021 and the COVID Management Initiative of the Year from HealthCare Asia.
Global Recognition and Accreditations
In 2021, TMC received its sixth consecutive Joint Commission International (JCI) Gold Seal of Approval, reaffirming its commitment to world-class quality and safety standards. The hospital’s Acute Myocardial Infarction Program was also recertified for the third consecutive time, making it the first and only program of its kind in the Philippines and one of only 15 globally certified by JCI.
Under Dr. Ramos’ leadership, TMC was named Hospital of the Year by HealthCare Asia in 2020, 2021, and 2022. The hospital also received the Medical Tourism Initiative of the Year award in 2022. Dr. Ramos himself was recognized as CEO of the Year in 2019.
Shanggari Balakrishnan, Chief Executive Officer of MORS Group, praised his leadership, stating, “Under his creative, visionary yet empathetic leadership, Dr. Eugenio Ramos has forged excellence and recognition in the healthcare industry for the medical group he leads. Spearheading groundbreaking policies and bold reforms to inculcate a culture of unprecedented stakeholder engagement and partnership, he cemented his organization’s rightful place as a world-class healthcare institution.”
