Lung Center of the Philippines scores win at GovMedia Awards 2025 for public healthcare innovation
The Thoracic Hybrid Operating Room streamlines lung cancer diagnosis and treatment, especially for patients delayed by fragmented and multi-step care pathways.
Government tertiary hospital Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) clinched the Philippines Process Optimization of the Year - Health category win at the GovMedia Conference & Awards 2025 for the Thoracic Hybrid Operating Room (THOR), its pioneering public healthcare innovation that provides high-quality, accessible, and affordable thoracic care to all Filipinos.
THOR is the first and only hybrid operating room in the Philippines dedicated to thoracic oncology. Its unique one-stop strategy integrates real-time cone-beam CT imaging, percutaneous or bronchoscopic biopsy, rapid onsite cytology, and minimally invasive surgery or ablation — within a single facility and session.
It aims to reduce diagnosis-to-treatment time for lung cancer, improve surgical precision and patient outcomes, and democratise access to cutting-edge thoracic care for all socioeconomic classes. These objectives have been met through infrastructure development, specialised training of LCP’s clinical staff, and the launch of the hospital’s multidisciplinary framework for lung cancer management.
The facility has transformed LCP’s clinical operations by enhancing collaboration amongst thoracic surgery, interventional pulmonology, radiology, pathology, and anaesthesia teams. It has enabled public-sector patients to receive advanced care typically accessible only in high-end private centres.
Beyond its surgical capabilities, THOR supports continuous education, research, and training. With the future integration of telemedicine and artificial intelligence diagnostics, it is positioned for long-term adaptability. LCP has ongoing collaborations with the National Taiwan University Hospital – Hsin Chu Branch to ensure continuous benchmarking, and its training programmes equip partner hospitals in the country with the skills needed to replicate this innovation.
“The THOR programme exemplifies how public healthcare can achieve world-class innovation through cross-sector collaboration, visionary leadership, and patient-centred design. More than a facility, it is a transformative strategy that puts the Filipino patient at the centre of progress — delivering on the promise of better service, better outcomes, and better lives,” LCP said.
GovMedia Conference & Awards 2025 celebrates the achievements of government projects and initiatives from both government organisations and private sector companies that are not only transforming Asia Pacific, but are also making a significant impact across the globe.
The Gov Media Awards is presented by Gov Media Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2026 awards programme and be recognised for your organisation's government projects and initiatives, please contact Jane Patiag at [email protected].
