Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 8658

April 8, 2014

DOH ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2014-0015

 

I. Background/Rationale

Through the initiative and efforts of Sergio Osmeña, former Speaker of the Philippine Assembly, Victor Heiser, Director of Health and Arlington Pond, District Health Officer, the first national general hospital was built in Cebu located south of Manila in 1911 for the purpose of serving the sick people from the Visayas and Mindanao. The Hospital was named Hospital de Sambag, then changed to Hospital del Sur which means Hospital of the South from which the name Southern Islands Hospital (SIH) was derived. This is the biggest government hospital located south of Manila and is located in the uptown district of the city. It owns a land area of about 15,909 hectares. However, only one-third of the total land area is currently developed and occupied by the hospital and the rest are occupied by the informal settlers.

On January 12, 1913, pursuant to Act 2725, the Southern Islands Hospital was officially opened to the public with an authorized 30 beds. In 1984, through a DOH issuance the hospital was upgraded into a Medical Center and licenses a tertiary teaching and training institution with an authorized bed capacity of 350 beds.

On May 21, 1992, the name Southern Islands Hospital was renamed to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) pursuant to R.A. 7528, in honor of the late Senator Vicente Sotto, Sr., the philanthropist who extended financial assistance to patients in this Medical Center. On June 1, 1992, R.A. No. 7588 was approved increasing the bed capacity of VSMMC from 350 beds to 400 beds.

On June 22, 1998, another Republic Act No. 8658 was approved increasing the bed capacity of VSMMC from 400 to 800 beds without significant increase in health human resource complement. Likewise, VSMMC is operating as 800 bed capacity Medical Center with funding corresponding to a 400 beds only. HTCISE

The VSMMC is a tertiary training and teaching medical center under the administrative and technical supervision of the Department of Health, headed by the Medical Center Chief II. The hospital organizational structure is composed of five (5) major divisions, namely: the Training and Research Division, the Medical Service Division, Nursing Service Division, the Hospital Support Division (Administrative Service) and the Finance Management Service Division.

Presently, the VSMMC is implementing its new direction with the development of Specialty and Sub-specialties under the different clinical departments of the Medical Service Division, headed by the Chief of Medical Professional Staff I. These Specialty and Sub-specialties include the General Surgery, Neuro-Surgery, Uro-Surgery, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics-Gynecology, Orthopedics, Otorhinolaryngology, Ophthalmology, Anesthesiology, Pathology, Psychiatry, Radiology, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Emergency Medicine, which is the 1st of its kind outside Metro Manila; Family Medicine and Pediatrics. Rehabilitation Medicine Department, Dental Services Unit, and the National Voluntary Blood Services Program are available in this medical center.

At present, VSMMC is proud of its new services available, i.e., the Renal Center, SIH Heart Center, and the Women-Children Friendly Center. The Out-Patient Department and the expanded Emergency Room Services are among the ever updated services of VSMMC.

II. Objective

This Administrative Order sets the Implementing Rules and Regulations for the implementation of Republic Act No. 8658, "An Act Increasing the Bed Capacity of Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, Located in Cebu City, from Four Hundred (400) to Eight Hundred (800) Bed Capacity, and Appropriating Funds Therefor."

III. Purpose

This Implementing Rules and Regulations are adopted prescribing guidelines and procedures for the implementation of R.A. 8658 to facilitate compliance therewith and achieve the objectives thereof. CIAacS

IV. Definition of Terms/Acronyms

1. Act — refers to Republic Act No. 8658, "An Act Increasing the Bed Capacity of Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, Located in Cebu City, from Four Hundred (400) to Eight Hundred (800) Bed Capacity, and Appropriating Funds Therefor"

2. CO — refers to the Capital Outlay

3. Emergency — a condition that requires immediate intervention of which failure to do so will cause loss of life or limb

4. Medical Center — a hospital staffed and equipped to care for many patients and a large number of kinds of diseases and dysfunctions using modern technology

5. MOOE — refers to the Maintenance, Operating and Other Expenses

6. PS — refers to the Personnel Services

7. VSMMC — refers to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

V. Policies and Guidelines:

A. General Policies

The VSMMC, a teaching and training medical center shall provide tertiary general health care with specialty and sub-specialty services with 800 authorized bed capacity, fully equipped with all the updated facilities, equipment and health human resource complement for a general health care with Specialty and Sub-specialty services. It shall continue to provide training services to health human resource complements for Specialty and Sub-specialty services from other regions in the Visayas and Mindanao. The VSMMC shall be provided with adequate funding support for its operations. HIESTA

B. Specific/Implementing Guidelines

In support of the upgrading of the hospital, the following guidelines shall be implemented:

1. Redirection of Roles

By year 2013, a fully operational Tertiary Level-3, 800 bed-capacity with Specialty and Sub-specialty services must be implemented.

2. Health Human Resource

VSMMC shall continue to honor the positions, seniority, security and other rights of tenure of its medical and non-medical health human resources. It shall also make an evaluation of the existing health human resources and upgrade the positions and number of health human resource complements to conform with the DOH standards.

3. Assets and Liabilities

All assets, movable and immovable, and records of the VSMMC as well as its liabilities and obligations shall be properly documented and be accounted for, following existing policies and guidelines.

4. Equipment

The VSMMC shall make an inventory of the existing hospital equipment and undertake upgrading to conform to the DOH standards for general Level 3 health care facility with Specialties and Sub-specialties.

5. Infrastructure

The VSMMC shall implement construction, repair/renovations of existing infrastructure to conform to the standards of the DOH and the Philippine Building Code. AEcIaH

6. Systems Development

VSMMC shall develop its services and inter-facility referral systems. Likewise, the VSMMC shall implement the standards of hospital operations consistent with the DOH Manual of Hospital Operations, DOH hospital scorecard, Philhealth Benchbook and improve its information management system, implements Integrated Hospital Operations and management Program (IHOMP) and other programs of the hospital that ensures continuing quality improvement and patient safety.

VI. Implementing Structure

A. Administrative Control

The Department of Health-Area Operations Cluster for Visayas in coordination with the Center for Health Development-Central Visayas shall have oversight jurisdiction over the hospital operations and management. The CHD shall monitor the implementation of RA 8658.

The Medical Center Chief of VSMMC shall be accountable and responsible for the implementation of quality-standard hospital operations and management and shall submit developmental and financial reports to the DOH-Central Office through the Center for Health Development-Central Visayas.

B. Source of Financing

The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of Republic Act No. 8658 shall be sourced out accordingly.

1. Capital investment for infrastructure and equipment shall be sourced from the DOH General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2013 onwards and other sources.

2. The additional Maintenance, Operating and Other Expenses (MOOE) resulting from the hospital expansion shall be sourced from the hospital income, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) reimbursements and other sources. aCATSI

VII. Repealing/Separability Clause:

Provisions from previous issuances that are inconsistent or contrary to the provisions of this Order are hereby rescinded and modified accordingly.

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 a newspaper of general circulation.

(SGD.) ENRIQUE T. ONA, MDSecretary of Health