Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 11567 (Eastern Visayas Medical Center)

October 11, 2021

DOH ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2021-0050

 

I. BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

The 14-bed capacity Leyte Provincial Hospital established in 1916 has grown over the years to 40 beds in 1936, 250 beds in 1972, 275 beds in 1986, and 500 beds in 2009. The hospital was renamed several times: Speaker Daniel Z. Romualdez Memorial Hospital, Tacloban City Medical Center, and Eastern Visayas Medical Center (EVRMC).

In 2013, despite the damages it sustained, EVRMC was one of the hospitals that remained operational after the devastation brought by Super Typhoon Yolanda (International Codename: Haiyan), which directly hit the Region VIII (Eastern Visayas). After celebrating its centennial year (2016), the facility has begun the process of moving to its new site in Barangay 93 (Bagacay) in Tacloban City. Eleven of its 15 departments have accredited training programs, and it is also a training facility for allied medical professionals. Between 2017 and 2019, EVRMC's bed occupancy has risen from 121 percent to 167 percent, outpatients treated from 169,972 to 253,733, and emergency cases from 44,509 to 61,344.

On June 24, 2021, the President signed Republic Act (R.A.) No. 11567, "An Act Renaming the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center in the City of Tacloban, Province of Leyte into Eastern Visayas Medical Center, Increasing its Bed Capacity from Five Hundred (500) to One Thousand Five Hundred (1,500) Beds, and Appropriating Funds Therefor." Section 5 provided the implementation of this Act through the Department of Health's program and funding appropriations. Its implementing rules and regulations shall also be 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 No. 11567, "An Act Renaming the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center in the City of Tacloban, Province of Leyte into Eastern Visayas Medical Center, Increasing its Bed Capacity from Five Hundred (500) to One Thousand Five Hundred (1,500) Beds, 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 Eastern Visayas Medical Center and the implementation of R.A. No. 11567.

IV. DEFINITION AND ACRONYMS

A. EVMC — refers to the Eastern Visayas Medical Center.

B. 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.

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

D. Level 3 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.

V. GENERAL GUIDELINES

A. Eastern Visayas Medical Center (EVMC) 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 Network (HCPN), Department Circular 2020-0410, where EVMC is listed as an eligible apex or end-referral facility, Department Order No. 2021-0001, where specialty centers are designated for establishment in EVMC.

B. EVMC shall strengthen and improve its service capability and capacity while continually serving as end-referral and apex hospital in Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) and nearby provinces in the Bicol, Central Visayas and Caraga regions, 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, 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 transition towards the New Normal, as guided by Department Memorandum No. 2020-0268 "Interim Guidelines on Health Facilities in the New Normal," EVMC 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.

VI. IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS

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

A. Renaming of the Hospital

Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center shall be renamed as Eastern Visayas Medical Center, and its acronym shall be "EVMC". The official address shall be at Pan Philippine Highway, Barangay 93 (Cabalawan), Tacloban City. 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 Services

EVMC shall formulate and submit its Hospital Development Plan (HDP) to the HFDB. EVMC'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 1,500-bed Level 3 General Hospital with specialty and sub-specialty services.

EVMC shall comply with the requirements for the operations of the Malasakit Center as mandated by R.A. No. 11463 to enable eligible patients to access medical and financial assistance services.

C. Health Human Resources

Based on the approved HDP, EVMC 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.

EVMC 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 the EVMC, as well as its liabilities and obligations shall be properly documented and be accounted for in accordance with existing policies and guidelines.

E. Equipment

EVMC 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 as amended. Additional equipment and facilities shall be provided to complement the expansion of services consistent with the approved HDP.

F. Infrastructure

EVMC 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.

G. Systems Development

EVMC shall conform to and sustain the standards of hospital operations to provide quality health care and safety of 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).

H. Quality Management

Through the term of this HDP implementation, EVMC's Quality Management System shall conform to the ISO 9001:2015 standard or its subsequent equivalent. 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 EVMC's operations. The designated DOH official, with the aid of the Eastern Visayas CHD, shall monitor the implementation of R.A. 11567, and may recommend further the necessary upgrading as guided by this Order.

The MCC of EVMC 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. 11567 shall be sourced 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 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