The COMMUNITY HOSPITAL AND HEALTH CENTER was established in Poblacion Sur, Salcedo, Ilocos Sur through the negotiation of the late Hon Leopoldo Gironella Sr. It was created by the Philippine Medical Care Commission (PMCC) in 1975, headed by Dr. Pacifico Marcos thru Republic Act 6111 known as the Philippine Medical Care Act during the Presidency of his Excellency the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos for the primary purpose of providing the health care needs of its members and their dependents and the general population secondarily.
The facility is a 15 Bed Capacity Primary Health Care Facility made up of a solitary building which is still the primary building of the hospital after several renovations and modification done. It was only equipped with the basic diagnostic and emergency equipmentโs for the delivery of simple and primary health-care services.
In 1988 Community Hospital and Health Center (CHHC) was turned-over to the Department of Health and became to known as Salcedo Medicare Community Hospital (SMCH).
In 1991, Salcedo Medicare Community Hospital was handed over under the control and direct supervision of LGU-Ilocos Sur as a result of the implementation of RA 7160, wherein several agencies of the government as the result of decentralization process had been devolved to their host LGU at the Provincial Level.
In 1992, Republic Act 7409, an act expanding and upgrading the Salcedo Medicare Hospital in the municipality of Salcedo, province of Ilocos Sur, from a 15-bed capacity Medicare Hospital into a 25-bed capacity District Hospital. Unfortunately, such law was never implemented.
Republic Act No. 7160 providing the Local Government Code 1991 devolved the Department of Health to the Local Government. This law affected the Salcedo Medicare and Community Hospital, thereby on 1993, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Sur took over the Hospital in all its operations and maintenance. The devolution of the hospital brought sudden drastic changes and significantly reduced Hospital Budget and Limited Drugs and Supplies. However, it triggered revolutionary changes within the hospital as counter measures; it became a stimulus for the evolution of the hospital to purely service oriented into partially business oriented for self-sustainability.
In 2000, the hospital became competitive in nature. There was gradual improvement of the hospital hospital-development projects and as a result, there was Gradual improvement of hospital services thru its own efforts. Therefore, gradual increase in hospital patronage and bed occupancy rates was noted.
In 2005, construction of an extension on the northern portion of the hospital which was planned to be a new OR and DR of the hospital. It was constructed thru the joint efforts of the catchment towns of Salcedo Medicare Community Hospital thru an informal but active and functional interlocal health zone initiate by the OIC-COH of the hospital.
In 2007, Construction of an extension of the southern portion of the hospital planned to be a new X-ray Room for the hospital. Bayan Muna Party List funded this thru the request of the OIC-COH of the hospital.
In 2010, there was an improvement of PGIS Hospitals and PHIC Relationship for the benefit of patient. Direct PHIC enrolment Policy for Indigent Patients was adopted.
In 2013, nationwide implementation of โNO BALANCE BILLING POLICY of PHIC as well as the same outright enrolment of qualified indigent patients to PHIC upon admission. It is fact that even before the national implementation of the above mentioned programs by the National Government, SMCH had already been implementing them. The start of several major facility developments through different infrastructure projects. Specifically on this year, major overall renovation of the entire main building was started. However, no other hospital facilities had been constructed yet.
In 2014, this particular year marks the completion of the total renovation of the main building of the ISDH Salcedo with a total cost of PHP 5 Million. On the same year, the construction of OR/DR Complex and Dietary/Conference Room Building were started.
IN 2015, the recently mentioned infrastructure projects i.e. construction of OR/DR Complex and Dietary/Conference Room Buildings were completed with a total cost of PHP 10 Million. It also of equal importance to note that on this particular year the following significant related laws for hospital facility developments for ISDH Salcedo had been implemented by the PGIS:
Important Provincial Ordinances
Ilocos Sur Provincial Ordinance No. 12 - 14 Series 2015, that provides for the change in name of Salcedo Medicare Community Hospital into Ilocos Sur District Hospital-Salcedo.
Ilocos Sur Provincial Ordinance no. 15 - 17 Series 2015, that provides for the upgrade of ISDH Salcedo from a 15-bed capacity Infirmary into a 25-Bed Capacity hospital.
In 2016, several additional expansion projects for ISDH Salcedo were started i.e. construction of a new ER/OPD Complex, isolation building, and powerhouse.
