Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 11566 (Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez General Hospital and Schistosomiasis Center)
The Department of Health (DOH) issued Administrative Order No. 2021-0049 to implement Republic Act No. 11566, which converts the Schistosomiasis Control and Research Hospital in Palo, Leyte, into the Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez General Hospital and Schistosomiasis Center. This conversion increases the hospital's bed capacity from 25 to 100 and upgrades its healthcare services and facilities while authorizing the hiring of additional medical personnel. The hospital will focus on providing comprehensive health services aligned with the Universal Health Care Act and continue its role in schistosomiasis control and research. The order outlines guidelines for hospital operations, funding sources, and infrastructure development to ensure compliance with health standards. The implementation will be overseen by a designated DOH official, with funding sourced from various government and partnership avenues.
October 11, 2021
DOH ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2021-0049
| SUBJECT | : | Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 11566, "An Act Converting the Schistosomiasis Control and Research Hospital in Palo, Leyte into a General Hospital to be Known as the Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez General Hospital and Schistosomiasis Center, Increasing Its Bed Capacity from Twenty-Five (25) to One Hundred (100), Upgrading Its Professional Health Care Services and Facilities, Authorizing the Increase of Its Medical Personnel and Appropriating Funds Therefor" |
I. RATIONALE AND BACKGROUND
Republic Act (R.A.) No. 4359 in 1965 established the National Schistosomiasis Control Program and created the National Schistosomiasis Control Commission. Presidential Decree (P.D.) No. 893 in 1976 reconstituted the Commission into the Schistosomiasis Control Council for which among its functions and objectives included the promotion of studies and researches on schistosomiasis control and treatment. By virtue of P.D. No. 1062, appropriations were given to build the physical plant of the health facility.
Schistosomiasis Control and Research Hospital (SCRH) fully operated as a 25-bed hospital in 1982. When occupancy rates dwindled because of the community-based approach in schistosomiasis control in 2000, it re-capacitated with services such as acute crisis intervention service and psychiatric management. From 2013, SCRH opened services and facilities such as obstetrics and gynecology, radiology, delivery and operating rooms, surgery wards, otolaryngology, ophthalmology, orthopedics, a new emergency room, among others. In 2020, the hospital served 93 inpatients on daily average, and its occupancy rate reached 371 percent; outpatient visits were over 20,000 and ER visits almost 10,000.
On June 24, 2021, the President signed R.A. No. 11566, "An Act Converting the Schistosomiasis Control and Research Hospital in Palo, Leyte into a General Hospital to be known as the Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez General Hospital and Schistosomiasis Center, Increasing its Bed Capacity from Twenty-Five (25) to One Hundred (100), Upgrading its Professional Health Care Services and Facilities, Authorizing the Increase of its Medical Personnel and Appropriating Funds Therefor." Section 5 of the Act provided for its implementation through the Department of Health's programs and appropriations, also in accordance with R.A. No. 11223, Universal Health Care Act, which ensures that all Filipinos have equitable access to quality health care goods and services.
II. OBJECTIVE
This Administrative Order (A.O.) sets the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act (R.A.) No. 11566, "An Act Converting the Schistosomiasis Control and Research Hospital in Palo, Leyte into a General Hospital to be known as the Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez General Hospital and Schistosomiasis Center, Increasing its Bed Capacity from Twenty-Five (25) to One Hundred (100), Upgrading its Professional Health Care Services and Facilities, Authorizing the Increase of its Medical Personnel 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 Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez General Hospital and Schistosomiasis Center and the implementation of R.A. No. 11566.
IV. DEFINITION OF TERMS AND ACRONYMS
A. GBTRGHSC — refers to the Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez General Hospital and Schistosomiasis Center.
B. HDP — refers to Hospital Development Plan which reflects the hospital's directions in the Philippine Health Facility Development Plan (PHFDP) and serves as guide for the upgrading of health facilities throughout the country towards achieving Universal Health Care.
C. IRR — refers to Implementing Rules and Regulations of this Act.
V. GENERAL GUIDELINES
A. Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez General Hospital and Schistosomiasis Center (GBTRGHSC) shall provide promotive, preventive, diagnostic, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health care 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). It shall sustain its disease control and research services in accordance with the DOH's Schistosomiasis Control Program.
B. GBTRGHSC shall strengthen and improve its service capability and capacity while continually serving as a tertiary care hospital in the municipalities, cities and provinces in Region VIII (Eastern Visayas), complementing the local health systems and providers therein, as well as schistosomiasis control and research for endemic areas in the country, 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 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, as amended, 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, GBTRGHSC 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. Renaming of the Hospital
Schistosomiasis Control and Research Hospital shall be renamed as Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez General Hospital and Schistosomiasis Center, and its acronym shall be "GBTRGHSC." The official address shall be in Barangay Naga-Naga, Palo, Leyte. The Medical Center Chief (MCC) 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.
B. Expansion of Hospital Services
GBTRGHSC shall formulate and submit its Hospital Development Plan (HDP) to the HFDB through the Eastern Visayas Center for Health Development (CHD). The GBTRGHSC'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 100-bed general hospital with departmentalized clinical services and specialty services including disease control and research according to Schistosomiasis Control Program.
GBTRGHSC 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.
C. Health Human Resources
Based on the approved HDP, GBTRGHSC 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. GBTRGHSC 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.
D. Assets and Liabilities
All movable and immovable assets and records of GBTRGHSC, as well as its liabilities and obligations shall be properly documented and be accounted for in accordance with existing policies and guidelines.
E. Equipment
GBTRGHSC shall make an inventory of the existing hospital equipment and undertake upgrading to conform to the DOH standards of a general hospital with departmentalized clinical services 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 Philippines" as amended. Additional equipment and facilities shall be provided to complement the expansion of services consistent with the approved HDP.
F. Infrastructure
GBTRGHSC 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 and Safe Health Facilities Guidelines, among others.
G. Systems Development
GBTRGHSC 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). It shall establish practices that are effective and efficient in the turnaround of the delivery of services as mandated by R.A. No. 11032, "Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018."
H. Quality Management
Through the term of its HDP implementation, GBTRGHSC'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 GBTRGHSC's operations. The designated DOH official, with the aid of the Eastern Visayas CHD, shall monitor the implementation of R.A. No. 11566, and may recommend further the necessary upgrading as guided by this Order.
The MCC of GBTRGHSC 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 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. 11566 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