Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 11557 (Senate President Neptali A. Gonzales General Hospital)

October 4, 2021

DOH ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2021-0047

 

I. RATIONALE AND BACKGROUND

The City of Mandaluyong, which lies at the center of the vast metropolis of the National Capital Region, has a general hospital bed-to-population ratio of 1:1,137, above the recommended national ratio of 1:1,000. The Department of Health does not have a hospital for general health services in this area of Metro Manila; National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) located in the city's Welfareville Compound is a specialty facility.

Legislation was initially sought for the establishment of a general hospital through allocating and converting a portion of the NCMH's bed capacity. NCMH had been experiencing increasing demand for general medical, non-mental health services from inpatients as well as surrounding communities. But with due recognition of NCMH mandated as national specialty facility on mental health per Republic Act (R.A.) No. 11036, the Mental Health Act, the 18th Congress passed House Bill No. 5870 for the establishment of a separate general hospital to be also located in Welfareville Compound.

On June 24, 2021, the President approved and signed R.A. No. 11557, "An Act Establishing a Three Hundred (300)-Bed Capacity Tertiary Training and General Hospital in Barangay Mauway, City of Mandaluyong to be known as the Senate President Neptali A. Gonzales General Hospital, and Appropriating Funds Therefor." Named in honor of the City's son who had been the 15th, 17th and 19th Senate President, in addition to being former Vice-Governor of Rizal, Congressman, Assemblyman, and Secretary of Justice. Section 4 of the Act provides for the DOH to issue its implementing rules and regulations. These shall also be in accordance with R.A. No. 11223, Universal Health Care Act, which ensures that all Filipino have equitable access to quality healthcare goods and services.

II. OBJECTIVE

This Administrative Order (A.O.) provides the Guidelines for the Implementation of Republic Act (R.A.) No. 11557, "An Act Establishing a Three Hundred (300)-Bed Capacity Tertiary Training and General Hospital in Barangay Mauway, City of Mandaluyong to be known as the Senate President Neptali A. Gonzales General Hospital, 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 Senate President Neptali A. Gonzales General Hospital (SPNGGH), and the implementation of R.A. No. 11557.

IV. DEFINITION OF TERMS/ACRONYMS

1. HDP — refers to the Hospital Development Plan, which serves as a guide for the development of health facilities throughout the country towards achieving Universal Health Care as well as guide in ensuring the rational allocation of government investments in the delivery of quality and people-centered health services.

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

3. Level III General Hospital — refers to the type of general hospital according to functional capacity as provided in A.O. No. 2012-0012, "Rules and Regulations Governing the New Classification of Hospitals and Other Health Facilities in the Philippines," as amended.

4. SPNGGH — refers to Senate President Neptali A. Gonzales General Hospital.

V. GENERAL GUIDELINES

A. Pursuant to Section 2 of this Act, the facilities of Senate President Neptali A. Gonzales General Hospital (SPNGGH) shall be built in an area with the size of at least two thousand (2,000) square meters within the premises of the NCMH, Barangay Mauway, Mandaluyong City. This area, which is part of the Welfareville Compound, shall be exempted from the implementation of R.A. No. 5260, "An Act Authorizing a Committee composed of the Administrator of the Social Welfare Administration, the Auditor General and the Secretary of the Department of General Services to Sell the Welfareville Property Located in the Municipality of Mandaluyong, Province of Rizal, and for Other Purposes," come to be known, City of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, and related laws, orders, rules and regulations, and issuances.

The Medical Center Chief (MCC) or Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of SPNGGH shall secure the legal purpose and use of this area in favor of the said DOH hospital in coordination with concerned government offices and instrumentalities.

B. SPNGGH 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).

C. SPNGGH shall establish, strengthen and improve its service capability and capacity while continually serving as end-referral and apex hospital in Mandaluyong and cities that share borders such as Manila, Makati, San Juan, and Pasig, then the rest of Metro Manila and neighboring provinces, 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.

D. SPNGGH shall comply with standards and meet requirements in preparedness and response strategies in public health emergencies as in A.O. No. 2020-0016, as amended, and A.O. 2021-0043 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, patient navigation in the Healthcare Providers' Network, and COVID-19 Vaccination. Likewise, concordant to the country's transitioning towards the New Normal, as guided by Department Memorandum No. 2020-0268 "Interim Guidelines on Health Facilities in the New Normal," it 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.

E. SPNGGH shall comply with the requirements for 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.

VI. IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS

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

A. Infrastructure

In accordance with Section VI.I. of this Order, the MMCHD shall implement and seek the support of DOH for the construction of SPNGGH's 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 and Safe Health Facilities Guidelines, among others. The hospital shall perform the same for subsequent construction, repair and/or renovation per its approved HDP.

B. Name of the Hospital

The name of the hospital is Senate President Neptali A. Gonzales General Hospital, and its acronym shall be "SPNGGH." The official address shall be at Nueve de Febrero Street, Barangay Mauway, Mandaluyong City. The Medical Center Chief (MCC) or Officer-In-Charge (OIC) of SPNGGH shall ensure that directory and future official documents adhere to the new hospital name, and reflected in the DOH National Health Facility Registry and other official databases.

C. Establishment and Expansion of Services

In accordance with Section VI.I. of this Order, the Metro Manila Center for Health Development (MMCHD) shall formulate the initial Hospital Development Plan (HDP) of SPNGGH. The HDP shall provide the capacity increase and capability expansion, shall regard the hospital's compliance to licensing and accreditation requirements, and shall be consistent with the Philippine Health Facility Development Plan (PHFDP) leading towards a 300-bed Level 3 General Hospital with specialty and sub-specialty services.

The SPNGGH shall establish a Health Facility Development Unit (HFDU) in compliance to (AO No. 2019-0031) shall be responsible for the internal and external coordination for the complete, timely submission of updates on its HDP to the DOH through MMCHD.

D. Health Human Resources

Based on the approved HDP, SPNGGH shall request for the required health human resources based on Department of Budget and Management-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. SPNGGH shall honor the positions, security of tenure, and other rights of its human resource complement, promote professional development and hire qualified staff to comply and conform to the Civil Service Commission, the DOH standards, and the intent of this IRR.

E. Assets and Liabilities

All movable and immovable assets and records of SPNGGH, as well as its liabilities and obligations shall be properly documented and be accounted for in accordance with existing policies and guidelines.

F. Equipment

SPNGGH shall make an inventory of the hospital's 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, "Rules and Regulations Governing the New Classification of Hospitals and Other Health Facilities in the Philippines" as amended. Additional equipment and facilities shall be provided to complement the expansion of services consistent with the approved HDP.

G. Quality Management

Through the term of its HDP implementation, SPNGGH'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.

H. Systems Development

SPNGGH 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 a hospital information system conforming to the basic requirements of the Integrated Hospital Operations and Management Program (IHOMP) and other relevant issuances.

I. Transition

The Director IV of the MMCHD shall act as OIC of SPNGGH while the hospital's organizational structure and staffing are still being established. The MMCHD Director IV may create an office that will ensure the efficient and effective planning and implementation of R.A. 11557. The MMCHD Director IV shall abolish this office upon completion and conclusion of the tasks assigned to it.

VII. IMPLEMENTING STRUCTURE

A. Administrative Control

A DOH official designated by the Secretary of Health shall have oversight jurisdiction and control over the SPNGGH's operations. The designated DOH official, with the aid of the MMCHD, shall monitor the implementation of R.A. No. 11557, and may recommend further the necessary upgrading as guided by this Order.

The MCC or the OIC of the SPNGGH shall be accountable and responsible for the implementation of quality standard hospital operations and management. The MCC or OIC 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 or OIC shall also submit developmental plans, financial and statistical reports to the DOH Central Office.

B. Sourcing and Use of Funds

The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of R.A. No. 11557 shall be sourced out accordingly:

1. Capital investments for infrastructure, equipment, motor vehicles and land outlays 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, and upon filing of three (3) certified copies with the Office of the National Administrative Register, University of the Philippines Law Center.

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