Extension of Medical Assistance to Emergency Cases by Government and Private Hospitals

October 23, 1972

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6615

AN ACT REQUIRING GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE HOSPITALS AND CLINICS TO EXTEND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE IN EMERGENCY CASES

SECTION 1. All government and private hospitals or clinic duly licensed to operate as such are hereby required to render immediate emergency medical assistance and to provide facilities and medicine within its capabilities to patients in emergency cases who are in danger of dying and/or who may have suffered serious physical injuries.

SECTION 2. The expenses and losses of earnings incurred by a private hospital of clinic for medicines, facilities and services beyond first aid extended to emergency cases as required herein, and not to exceed fifty thousand pesos per year, shall be deductible expenses and losses for income tax purposes which may be carried over for a period of five years, any provision of law or regulation to the contrary notwithstanding.

SECTION 3. Any hospital director, administrator, officer-in-charge or physician in the hospital, medical center or clinic, who shall refuse or fail without good cause to render the appropriate assistance pursuant to the requirements of section one after said case had been brought to his attention, or any nurse, midwife or medical attendant who shall refuse to extend the appropriate assistance, subject to existing rules, or neglect to notify or call a physician shall be punished by imprisonment of one month and one day to one year and one day, and a fine of three hundred pesos to one thousand pesos, without prejudice to the provisions of Republic Act Numbered Twenty-three hundred eighty-two in the case of physicians. cd i

In the case of Government hospitals, the imposition of the penalty upon the person or persons guilty of the violations shall be without prejudice to the administrative action that might be proper.

In the case of private hospitals, aside from the imposition of penalty upon the person or persons guilty of the violations, the license of the hospital to operate shall, whenever justified, be suspended or revoked.

SECTION 4. Subject to the approval of the Secretary of Health, the Bureau of Medical Services shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act.

SECTION 5. Any law or laws or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. acd

Approved: October 23, 1972

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 69, No. 8, p. 1479 on February 19, 1973