An Eye For The Future
A very modern hospital that is affordable to all brackets of society and always ahead by providing the best technology available. This is how Dr. Potenciano “Yong” Larrazabal, III envisions the new CebuDoc Group (CDG).
“We have six hospitals and we try to make each hospital unique. So each hospital has its own plans and goals,” said Dr. Yong. “In the years to come, I see these hospitals to continue to expand with more beds but are closely interlinked.” Cebu Doctors University Hospital (CebuDoc) is the mother hospital, thus should be complete. “I want the other hospitals to be Complete too, but with a unique identity,” he added. As the second largest hospital and currently expanding, the CDG top executive wants MactanDoc to cater more to medical tourism while SouthGen will have Cebu’s first private Trauma Center. “Since NorthGen is situated amongst gated and barangay communities, we established a Mother and Child Center as well as Drug Rehab Center there,” said Dr. Yong. He continued that while OrmocDoc is one of the premier hospitals in the islands of Leyte, they will be providing specialty centers there and SanCarlosDoc shares the same goal too.
No transition, only changes. Taking over the tasks of his father, Dr. Potenciano “Jun” Larrazabal Jr., came so suddenly for the younger Larrazabal. “There was no transition at all. Everything was so sudden. I took over just like that. My father passed away unexpectedly. But I have been in the board for 18 to 19 years and so I know the ins and outs of the hospital,” said Dr. Yong. And because he has his own practice, running four clinics under the Larrazabal Eye Group and attracting a lot of patients, it came naturally for Dr. Yong to manage six hospitals. “Basically, the way I run the hospital is the way I run my clinic,” Dr. Yong said.
“The first thing I did was to lower the rates. And because I’m a doctor, I know the doctors. I talk to them and make them happy. Happy doctors make happy patients and happy patients attract more patients,” he quipped.
Dr. Yong further shared that because taking over as chairman was sudden, he has to learn everything, that means all the specialties, so fast.
Asked how he is different from his father’s management style, Dr.Yong said he tries to empower his team. “My dad was more of a one man team while I rounded up a group of leaders for my own team. I have my marketing team, which helped me a lot and I have a Special Assistant to the President. Soon, I’ll form my own Financial Team too.” Dr. Yong admitted that when he sees an employee with potential, he builds them up and empowers them to do projects. He found out they become progressive. In a year that he has been the CDG chairman, he realized the key is to make quick, fast decisions. “If you don’t make a decision, wait 5-10 mins after and there’s another thing in the other hospital. You will be stuck behind. So it’s okay to make mistakes, but make the right decisions. That’s why you need to have a good team,” he said.
When it comes to leadership, Dr. Yong listens more to the staff and is aggressive in terms of projects. He also loves architecture, thus presentation is always a priority to him. Like his father, Dr. Yong is workaholic too. “While I handle stress better than him because I’m a marathoner, we are both workaholics. I work at least 12 hours a day. Dad and I are same in that when we want something, we never give up.”
“We have six hospitals and we try to make each hospital unique. So each hospital has its own plans and goals,” said Dr. Yong. “In the years to come, I see these hospitals to continue to expand with more beds but are closely interlinked.” Cebu Doctors University Hospital (CebuDoc) is the mother hospital, thus should be complete. “I want the other hospitals to be Complete too, but with a unique identity,” he added. As the second largest hospital and currently expanding, the CDG top executive wants MactanDoc to cater more to medical tourism while SouthGen will have Cebu’s first private Trauma Center. “Since NorthGen is situated amongst gated and barangay communities, we established a Mother and Child Center as well as Drug Rehab Center there,” said Dr. Yong. He continued that while OrmocDoc is one of the premier hospitals in the islands of Leyte, they will be providing specialty centers there and SanCarlosDoc shares the same goal too.
No transition, only changes. Taking over the tasks of his father, Dr. Potenciano “Jun” Larrazabal Jr., came so suddenly for the younger Larrazabal. “There was no transition at all. Everything was so sudden. I took over just like that. My father passed away unexpectedly. But I have been in the board for 18 to 19 years and so I know the ins and outs of the hospital,” said Dr. Yong. And because he has his own practice, running four clinics under the Larrazabal Eye Group and attracting a lot of patients, it came naturally for Dr. Yong to manage six hospitals. “Basically, the way I run the hospital is the way I run my clinic,” Dr. Yong said.
“The first thing I did was to lower the rates. And because I’m a doctor, I know the doctors. I talk to them and make them happy. Happy doctors make happy patients and happy patients attract more patients,” he quipped.
Dr. Yong further shared that because taking over as chairman was sudden, he has to learn everything, that means all the specialties, so fast.
Happy doctors make happy patients and happy patients attract more patients.
Empowering new leaders
Asked how he is different from his father’s management style, Dr.Yong said he tries to empower his team. “My dad was more of a one man team while I rounded up a group of leaders for my own team. I have my marketing team, which helped me a lot and I have a Special Assistant to the President. Soon, I’ll form my own Financial Team too.” Dr. Yong admitted that when he sees an employee with potential, he builds them up and empowers them to do projects. He found out they become progressive. In a year that he has been the CDG chairman, he realized the key is to make quick, fast decisions. “If you don’t make a decision, wait 5-10 mins after and there’s another thing in the other hospital. You will be stuck behind. So it’s okay to make mistakes, but make the right decisions. That’s why you need to have a good team,” he said.
It’s okay to make mistakes, but make the right decisions. That’s why you need to have a good team.
When it comes to leadership, Dr. Yong listens more to the staff and is aggressive in terms of projects. He also loves architecture, thus presentation is always a priority to him. Like his father, Dr. Yong is workaholic too. “While I handle stress better than him because I’m a marathoner, we are both workaholics. I work at least 12 hours a day. Dad and I are same in that when we want something, we never give up.”
What to expect
With more people wanting to live longer, stay healthier and live life fully, the new direction is now wellness. CDG is getting ready for this and has launched its Wellness Complex. For Dr. Yong, modernity is important and technology plays a crucial role. “An equipment that is 3 or 5 years old is consideredobsolete,” he said. Take for instance his Eye Clinic, which has been known to have the most advanced Ophthalmology equipment in the country. Since medicine is dynamic, CDG is giving its full support to training and values research. “We send them (our people) abroad or in Manila for training or attend conferences,” said Dr. Yong, who hinted plans of putting up a Residents Complex to ensure the wellness of its residents and offer a conducive place for learning. Furthermore, the new CDG is eyeing to open a hospital in the north of Cebu. “The distance more or less is the same with Cebudoc to Naga. Hopefully, we can finalize the location. Next one is a charity hospital where we offer free services to patients and we’re planning to build such in a mountainous barangay,” he added. For the people working under his leadership, Dr. Yong would like to ensure them that they are in good hands. “I will improve your working conditions ,listen to your complaints and recommendations. I would want CebuDoc to be something that you will be proud of. More than anything else, I give importance to loyalty,” he said. “Please bear with me when at times, I become too strict or demanding. It is just because I always strive for excellence. Rest assured, my intentions are always for betterment of the CDG family,” added Dr. Yong. Like an inherited genetic template, CDG may have evolved through the years but the values of compassion, quality, and innovation remains at its roots. All of these were born out of purpose. And on and on it goes with a vision in mind.