Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 11568, Establishing the Davao Occidental General Hospital

November 16, 2021

DOH ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2021-0055

 

I. BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

The Province of Davao Occidental, which has five municipalities — Don Marcelino, Jose Abad Santos, Malita, Santa Maria, and Sarangani — is home to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs). A GIDA refers to communities with marginalized populations physically and socio-economically separated from mainstream society, based on physical factors (e.g., distance, transportation difficulties) and socio-economic factors (e.g., high poverty incidence, vulnerable sectors). Out of its 195 barangays in the province, 86 (41%) are classified as GIDAs. HTcADC

In 2020, there are only eight licensed hospitals and infirmaries with a total of 135 beds in the province. Using the 2015 population estimate, the provincial bed-to-population ratio is 1:2,343, which is extremely above the 1:1,000 DOH standard. As such, establishing the Davao Occidental General Hospital would help improve the health service delivery in the province, especially its hard-to-reach, unserved, and underserved communities in the GIDAs.

On June 14, 2021, the President approved and signed the R.A. No. 11568, "An Act Establishing a General Hospital in Barangay Lacaron, Municipality of Malita, Province of Davao Occidental to be known as the Davao Occidental General Hospital, and Appropriating Funds Therefor." Section 3 provides for the DOH to promulgate the Act's implementing rules and regulations (IRR) through the Department of Health's programs and appropriations. The IRR 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. 11568, "An Act Establishing a General Hospital in Barangay Lacaron, Municipality of Malita, Province of Davao Occidental to be known as the Davao Occidental 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 Davao Occidental General Hospital and the implementation of Republic Act No. 11568.

IV. DEFINITION OF TERMS AND ACRONYMS

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

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. Level 2 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.

D. DOGH — refers to Davao Occidental General Hospital.

V. GENERAL GUIDELINES

A. The Davao Occidental General Hospital (DOGH) shall provide promotive, preventive, diagnostic, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health care, 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).

B. The DOGH shall be under the direct control and supervision of the DOH. It shall establish its service capability and capacity in order to serve the people of Davao Occidental and other neighboring provinces, complementing the local health systems and providers therein, consistent with its Hospital Development Plan (HDP) 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 2 General Hospital.

C. The DOGH 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, the DOGH 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. Name of the Hospital

The Hospital shall be named as Davao Occidental General Hospital. The official address shall be in Barangay Lacaron, Municipality of Malita, Province of Davao Occidental. The Medical Center Chief (MCC) shall ensure that directory and future official documents adhere to the hospital name, and reflected in the DOH National Health Facility Registry and other official databases. aScITE

B. Expansion of Hospital Services

The DOGH shall formulate and submit its Hospital Development Plan (HDP) to the HFDB through the DOH Davao Center for Health Development (DCHD). The DOGH's health facility development unit shall make the proper internal and external coordination for the complete and 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 Level 2 General Hospital with specialty services.

The DOGH 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.

C. Health Human Resources

Based on the approved HDP, the DOGH 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. The DOGH 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 DOGH, as well as its liabilities and obligations, shall be properly documented and be accounted for in accordance with existing policies and guidelines.

E. Equipment

The DOGH shall make an inventory of the existing hospital equipment and undertake preventive maintenance program and upgrading to conform to the DOH standards of a level 2 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 Philippines." Additional equipment and facilities shall be provided to complement the expansion of services consistent with the approved HDP.

F. Infrastructure

The DOGH shall implement and seek the support of DOH for the maintenance program, and for the construction, repair, upgrade, and/or renovation of its physical infrastructure, building equipment, and utilities 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

The DOGH 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 an electronic information system conforming to the basic requirements of the Integrated Hospital Operations and Management Program (IHOMP).

H. Quality Management

Through the term of its HDP implementation, the DOGH'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 the DOGH's operations. The designated DOH official, with the aid of the DCHD, shall monitor the implementation of R.A. No. 11568, and may recommend further the necessary upgrading as guided by this Order.

The MCC of the DOGH 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. HEITAD

B. Sourcing and Use of Funds

The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of R.A. No. 11568 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.

C. Transition

The DCHD Director shall act as Officer-in-Charge of the DOGH while the hospital's organizational structure and staffing in the hospital are still being established. The DCHD Director may create an office that will ensure the efficient and effective planning and implementation of this Act. The DCHD Director shall turn over this office upon completion and conclusion of the tasks assigned to it to the MCC.

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