Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 11501

February 18, 2021

DOH ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2021-0017

 

I. BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

On November 11, 1952, the Department of Labor turned over a building to the Department of Health, which was to be inscribed with the name Quirino Labor Hospital. It formally opened its doors to the public on August 15, 1953 as a 75-bed capacity hospital. In 1957, the hospital was approved to expand to 100 beds. In 1959, it was designated a teaching and training hospital. By Republic Act (R.A.) No. 3965, in 1964, it was renamed as Quirino Memorial General Hospital, in honor of President Elpidio Quirino, whose compassion for the poor and the workforce made possible the founding of the facility. HTcADC

Batas Pambansa Bilang 442 in 1983 upgraded it to a tertiary regional hospital. By virtue of Executive Order No. 199 in 1987, it became the Quirino Memorial Medical Center (QMMC) with a capacity of 200 beds. R.A. No. 7174 increased QMMC's capacity to 250 beds, then R.A. No. 10345 further increased it to 500 beds. In the last five years, between 2015 and 2019, the QMMC's average bed occupancy was 259.42 percent, its average daily inpatients were 1,297, and outpatient consultations were 817.

On November 13, 2020, the President signed into law R.A. No. 11501, "An Act Increasing the Bed Capacity of the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City, Metro Manila from Five Hundred (500) Beds to One Thousand (1,000) Beds, Upgrading its Professional Health Care Services and Facilities, Authorizing the Increase of its Medical Personnel Complement and Appropriating Funds Therefor" hereinafter be referred to as the Act. Section 4 of the Act provides for its immediate implementation through programs of the DOH.

II. OBJECTIVE

This Administrative Order sets the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 11501, "An Act Increasing the Bed Capacity of the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City, Metro Manila from Five Hundred (500) Beds to One Thousand (1,000) Beds, Upgrading its Professional Health Care Services and Facilities, Authorizing the Increase of its Medical Personnel Complement and Appropriating Funds Therefor," and pertains only to the provisions of this Act.

III. SCOPE

The extent of coverage of this Order shall include the operations and management of Quirino Memorial Medical Center and the implementation of Republic Act No. 11501.

IV. DEFINITION OF TERMS AND ACRONYMS

A. Bed Capacity — refers to number of beds offered by the hospital for inpatient care.

B. Level 3 General Hospital — refers to the type of general hospital according to functional capacity as provided in A.O. No. 2012-0012, as amended.

C. IRR — refers to the Implementing Rules and Regulations of this Act.

D. QMMC — refers to Quirino Memorial Medical Center.

V. GENERAL GUIDELINES

A. Quirino Memorial Medical Center (QMMC) shall provide promotive, preventive, diagnostic, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health care, research and training services in accordance with the provisions of R.A. No. 11223, the "Universal Health Care Act," and related issuances such as A.O. No. 2020-0019, where roles and responsibilities are defined for DOH hospitals in the service delivery design of health care provider networks (HCPN), Department Circular No. 2020-0410, where QMMC is listed as an eligible apex or end-referral facility, and Department Order No. 2021-0001, where specialty centers are designated for establishment in QMMC.

B. QMMC shall strengthen and improve its service capability and capacity while continually serving as end-referral and apex hospital in the Third District and the rest of Quezon City, cities in Metro Manila sharing borders with Quezon City, and nearby cities and municipalities in the Province of Rizal, complementing the local health systems and providers therein, consistent with its Hospital Development Plan as approved by the Health Facility Development Bureau (HFDB). It shall be fully equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, complemented by adequately trained and competent human resources for health as appropriate for a licensed and accredited Level 3 General Hospital.

C. It shall comply with standards and meet requirements in preparedness and response strategies in public health emergencies as in A.O. No. 2020-0016, which include but are not limited to allocation of beds, dedication of select services or units, and performance of enhanced protocols in infection prevention and control, patient and health worker safety, and patient navigation in the HCPN. Likewise, concordant to the country's transitioning towards the New Normal, as guided by Department Memorandum No. 2020-0268, QMMC shall make certain that its plans, policies, protocols and norms ensure the continued health service delivery while maintaining the public health standards for COVID-19 disease.

VI. IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS

The implementation of the Act shall be supported by the following guidelines:

A. Expansion of Services

QMMC shall formulate and submit its Hospital Development Plan (HDP) to the HFDB. QMMC's health facility development unit shall make the proper internal and external coordination for the complete, timely submission of its updated HDP. The HDP shall provide the capacity increase and capability expansion, and shall be consistent with the Philippine Health Facility Development Plan (PHFDP) leading towards a 1,000-bed Level 3 General Hospital with specialty and sub-specialty services. QMMC shall comply with the operations of the Malasakit Center as mandated by the R.A. No. 11463 to enable eligible patients to access medical and financial assistance services.

B. Health Human Resources

Based on the approved HDP, QMMC shall request for the required health human resources based on DBM-DOH Joint Circular No. 2013-01, "Revised Standards and Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern of Government Hospitals, CY 2013 Edition" dated September 23, 2013 and its succeeding amendments.

QMMC shall honor the positions, security of tenure, and other rights of its human resource complement, re-classify and/or propose upgrading of positions, promote professional development and hire additional staff to comply and conform to the Civil Service Commission, the DOH standards, and the intent of this IRR.

C. Assets and Liabilities

All movable and immovable assets and records of the QMMC, as well as its liabilitiesand obligations shall be properly documented and be accounted for in accordance withexisting policies and guidelines.

D. Equipment

QMMC shall make an inventory of the existing hospital equipment and undertake upgrading to conform to the DOH standards of a tertiary teaching and training hospital as provided for under A.O. No. 2012-0012 or the "Rules and Regulations Governing the New Classification of Hospitals and Other Health Facilities in the Philippine" as amended. Additional equipment and facilities shall be provided to complement the expansion of services consistent with the approved HDP.

E. Infrastructure

QMMC shall implement and seek the support of DOH for the construction, repair and/or renovation of its physical infrastructure, consistent with the approved HDP, and conforming to all existing laws, regulations, national and international standards for hospital buildings, also in line with Hospitals Safe from Disasters Program, Green Healthcare Facilities Guidelines, among others. aScITE

F. Systems Development

QMMC shall conform to and sustain the standards of hospital operations to provide quality health care and safety for patients, health workers and other clientele of the hospital. It shall implement and electronic information system conforming to the basic requirements of the Integrated Hospital Operations and Management Program (IHOMP).

G. Quality Management

Through the term of its HDP implementation, QMMC's Quality Management System shall conform to ISO 9001:2015 standards. It shall enhance operations with the implementation of the Continuous Quality Improvement Program, Patient Safety Program, Integrated People-Centered Health Services, and Manuals of Standards of Hospital Operations and Management by HFDB, policies and standards by Health Facilities and Services Regulatory Bureau (HFSRB), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and other standards by international organizations that support national and local standards. Its management shall comply with the Gender and Development (GAD) mainstreaming policies in government.

The hospital shall complete all stages and become certified with the Performance Governance System towards its organizational development and performance improvement, as guided by the DOH performance accountability measures such as the Hospital Scorecard.

VII. IMPLEMENTING STRUCTURE

A. Administrative Control

A DOH official designated by the Secretary of Health shall have oversight jurisdiction and control over QMMC's operations. The designated DOH official shall monitor the implementation of R.A. No. 11501, and may recommend further the necessary upgrading as guided by this Order.

The Medical Center Chief (MCC) of QMMC shall be accountable and responsible for the implementation of quality standard hospital operations and management. The MCC shall establish responsibility accounting as means of management control and determination of respective contributions and performances of the hospital's divisions or units. The MCC shall submit developmental plans, financial and statistical reports to DOH Central Office.

B. Sourcing and Use of Funds

The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of R.A. No. 11501 shall be sourced out accordingly:

1. Capital investments for infrastructure and equipment shall be sourced from the DOH General Appropriations Act (GAA), hospital income which includes PhilHealth payments, public-private partnership, and/or other financing modes or schemes subject to prevailing government rules and regulations;

2. Additional Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) resulting from the hospital expansion shall be sourced from the GAA, hospital income including PhilHealth payments, public-private partnership and/or other financing modes or scheme;

3. Personnel Services (PS) to carry out the full implementation of the hospital staffing pattern following the DBM-DOH Joint Circular No. 2013-01 and related issuances shall be sourced from the GAA; and

4. Release of funds from the DOH shall be approved by the appropriate authority.

VIII. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE

If any provision of this Order is declared unauthorized or rendered invalid by any court of law or competent authority, those provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and effective.

IX. EFFECTIVITY

This Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

(SGD.) FRANCISCO T. DUQUE III, MD, MScSecretary of Health