Republic of the Philippines

Congress of the Philippines

Metro Manila
Tenth Congress
Republic Act No. 8344 August 25, 199
AN ACT P!NA"#$#N% T&! R!'()A" *' &*)P#TA") AN+ ,!+#CA"
C"#N#C) T* A+,#N#)T!R APPR*PR#AT! #N#T#A" ,!+#CA"
TR!AT,!NT AN+ )(PP*RT #N !,!R%!NC- *R )!R#*() CA)!),
A,!N+#N% '*R T&! P(RP*)! .ATA) PA,.AN)A .#"AN% /2,
*T&!R0#)! 1N*0N A) 2AN ACT PR*&#.#T#N% T&! +!,AN+ *'
+!P*)#T) *R A+3ANC! PA-,!NT) '*R T&! C*N'#N!,!NT *R
TR!AT,!NT *' PAT#!NT) #N &*)P#TA") AN+ ,!+#CA" C"#N#C) #N
C!RTA#N CA)!)2
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled::
)ection 1. Section 1 of Batas Pambansa Bilang 70 is hereby amended to
read as follo!s:
"SECTION 1. In emergency or serious cases, it shall be unlawul or
any !ro!rietor, !resi"ent, "irector, manager or any other oicer,
an"#or me"ical !ractitioner or em!loyee o a hos!ital or me"ical clinic
to re$uest, solicit, "eman" or acce!t any "e!osit or any other orm o
a"%ance !ayment as a !rere$uisite or coninement or me"ical
treatment o a !atient in such hos!ital or me"ical clinic or to reuse to
a"minister me"ical treatment an" su!!ort as "ictate" by goo"
!ractice o me"icine to !re%ent "eath or !ermanent "isability:
&ro%i"e", That by reason o ina"e$uacy o the me"ical ca!abilities o
the hos!ital or me"ical clinic, the atten"ing !hysician may transer the
!atient to a acility where the a!!ro!riate care can be gi%en, ater the
!atient or his ne't o (in consents to sai" transer an" ater the
recei%ing hos!ital or me"ical clinic agrees to the transer: &ro%i"e",
howe%er, That when the !atient is unconscious, inca!able o gi%ing
consent an"#or unaccom!anie", the !hysician can transer the !atient
e%en without his consent: &ro%i"e", urther, That such transer shall
be "one only ater necessary emergency treatment an" su!!ort ha%e
been a"ministere" to stabili)e the !atient an" ater it has been
establishe" that such transer entails less ris(s than the !atient*s
continue" coninement: &ro%i"e", urthermore, That no hos!ital or
clinic, ater being inorme" o the me"ical in"ications or such
transer, shall reuse to recei%e the !atient nor "eman" rom the
!atient or his ne't o (in any "e!osit or a"%ance !ayment: &ro%i"e",
inally, That strict com!liance with the oregoing !roce"ure on transer
shall not be construe" as a reusal ma"e !unishable by this +ct."
)ection 2. Section of Batas Pambansa Bilang 70 is hereby deleted and
in place thereof" ne! sections " # and $ are added" to read as follo!s:
"SEC. ,. -or !ur!oses o this +ct, the ollowing "einitions shall
go%ern:
".a/ *Emergency* 0 a con"ition or state o a !atient wherein
base" on the ob1ecti%e in"ings o a !ru"ent me"ical oicer on
"uty or the "ay there is imme"iate "anger an" where "elay in
initial su!!ort an" treatment may cause loss o lie or cause
!ermanent "isability to the !atient.
".b/ *Serious case* 0 reers to a con"ition o a !atient
characteri)e" by gra%ity or "anger wherein base" on the
ob1ecti%e in"ings o a !ru"ent me"ical oicer on "uty or the
"ay when let unatten"e" to, may cause loss o lie or cause
!ermanent "isability to the !atient.
".c/ *Coninement* 0 a state o being a"mitte" in a hos!ital or
me"ical clinic or me"ical obser%ation, "iagnosis, testing, an"
treatment consistent with the ca!ability an" a%ailable acilities
o the hos!ital or clinic.
"."/ *2os!ital* 0 a acility "e%ote" !rimarily to the "iagnosis,
treatment an" care o in"i%i"uals suering rom illness, "isease,
in1ury or "eormity, or in nee" o obstetrical or other me"ical an"
nursing care. It shall also be construe" as any institution,
buil"ing or !lace where there are acilities an" !ersonnel or the
continue" an" !rolonge" care o !atients.
".e/ *Emergency treatment an" su!!ort* 0 any me"ical or
surgical measure within the ca!ability o the hos!ital or me"ical
clinic that is a"ministere" by $ualiie" health care !roessionals
to !re%ent the "eath or !ermanent "isability o a !atient.
"./ *Me"ical clinic* 0 a !lace in which !atients can a%ail o
me"ical consultation or treatment on an out!atient basis.
".g/ *&ermanent "isability* 0 a con"ition o !hysical "isability as
"eine" un"er +rticle 13,0C an" +rticle 13405 an" C o
&resi"ential 6ecree No 77,8 as amen"e", otherwise (nown as
the 9abor Co"e o the &hili!!ines.
".h/ *Stabili)e* 0 the !ro%ision o necessary care until such time
that the !atient may be "ischarge" or transerre" to another
hos!ital or clinic with a reasonable !robability that no !hysical
"eterioration woul" result rom or occur "uring such "ischarge
or transer.
"SEC. 4. +ter the hos!ital or me"ical clinic mentione" abo%e shall
ha%e a"ministere" me"ical treatment an" su!!ort, it may cause the
transer o the !atient to an a!!ro!riate hos!ital consistent with the
nee"s o the !atient, !reerably to a go%ernment hos!ital, s!ecially in
the case o !oor or in"igent !atients.
"SEC. 7. +ny oicial, me"ical !ractitioner or em!loyee o the hos!ital
or me"ical clinic who %iolates the !ro%isions o this +ct shall, u!on
con%iction by inal 1u"gment, be !unishe" by im!risonment o not less
than si' .:/ months an" one .1/ "ay but not more than two .,/ years
an" our .7/ months, or a ine o not less than Twenty thousan" !esos
.&,;,;;;.;;/, but not more than One hun"re" thousan" !esos
.&1;;,;;;.;;/ or both, at the "iscretion o the court: &ro%i"e",
howe%er, That i such %iolation was committe" !ursuant to an
establishe" !olicy o the hos!ital or clinic or u!on instruction o its
management, the "irector or oicer o such hos!ital or clinic
res!onsible or the ormulation an" im!lementation o such !olicy
shall, u!on con%iction by inal 1u"gment, suer im!risonment o our
.7/ to si' .:/ years, or a ine o not less than One hun"re" thousan"
!esos .&1;;,;;;.;;/, but not more than -i%e hun"re" thousan"
!esos .&<;;,;;;.;;/ or both, at the "iscretion o the court."
)ection 3. Section # of Batas Pambansa Bilang 70 is hereby repealed.
)ection 4. Section $ of Batas Pambansa Bilang 70 shall become Section
% thereof and shall be amended to read as follo!s:
"SEC. <. The 6e!artment o 2ealth shall !romulgate the necessary
rules an" regulations to carry out the !ro%isions o this +ct."
)ection 5. &his 'ct shall ta(e effect fifteen )1%* days after its publication in
t!o )* national ne!spapers of general circulation.
+!!ro%e": August 25, 199
The 9aw!hil &ro1ect 0 +rellano 9aw -oun"ation
#,P"!,!NT#N% R("!) AN+ R!%("AT#*N) *' R!P(."#C ACT N*.
8344,
*T&!R0#)! 1N*0N A) 2AN ACT P!NA"#$#N% T&! R!'()A" *'
&*)P#TA") AN+ ,!+#CA" C"#N#C) T* A+,#N#)T!R APPR*PR#AT!
#N#T#A" ,!+#CA" TR!AT,!NT AN+ )(PP*RT #N !,!R%!NC- *R
)!R#*() CA)!), A,!N+#N% '*R T&! P(RP*)! .ATA)
PA,.AN)A .#"AN% /2, *T&!R0#)! 1N*0N A) AN ACT
PR*&#.#T#N% T&! +!,AN+ *' +!P*)#T) *R A+3ANC! PA-,!NT)
'*R T&! C*N'#N!,!NT *R TR!AT,!NT *' PAT#!NT) #N
&*)P#TA") AN+ ,!+#CA" C"#N#C) #N C!RTA#N CA)!)2
=2E>E+S, the Tenth Congress o the >e!ublic o the &hili!!ines enacte"
>e!ublic +ct No. ?477 on @une ;<, 133A8
=2E>E+S, the &resi"ent o the >e!ublic o the &hili!!ines signe" into law
>.+. ?477 on +ugust ,<, 133A8
=2E>E+S, un"er Section < o >.+. ?477, the 6e!artment o 2ealth .6O2/
is man"ate" to !romulgate the necessary rules an" regulations to carry out
the !ro%isions o the aorementione" law.
NO= T2E>E-O>E, !ursuant to the !ro%isions o >.+. ?477 authori)ing
the 6e!artment o 2ealth to !romulgate the necessary rules an"
regulations, the ollowing are hereby issue":
1. Section 1 o sai" +ct !ro%i"es: "In emergency or serious cases, it
shall be unlawul or any !ro!rietor, !resi"ent, "irector, manager or
any other oicer, an"#or me"ical !ractitioner or em!loyee o a
hos!ital or me"ical clinic to re$uest, solicit, "eman" or acce!t any
"e!osit or any other orm o a"%ance !ayment as a !rere$uisite or
coninement or me"ical treatment o a !atient in such hos!ital or
me"ical clinic or to reuse to a"minister me"ical treatment an"
su!!ort as "ictate" by goo" !ractice o me"icine to !re%ent "eath or
!ermanent "isability: &ro%i"e", That by reason o ina"e$uacy o the
me"ical ca!abilities o the hos!ital or me"ical clinic, the atten"ing
!hysician may transer the !atient to a acility where a!!ro!riate care
can be gi%en, ater the !atient or his ne't o (in consents to sai"
transer: &ro%i"e", howe%er, That when the !atient is unconscious,
inca!able o gi%ing consent an"#or unaccom!anie", the !hysician can
transer the !atient e%en without his consent, &ro%i"e", urther, That
such transer shall be "one only ater the necessary emergency
treatment an" su!!ort ha%e been a"ministere" to stabili)e the !atient
an" ater it has been establishe" that such transer entails less ris(s
than the !atient*s continue" coninement: &ro%i"e", inally, That strict
com!liance with the oregoing !roce"ure on transer shall not be
construe" as a reusal ma"e !unishable by this +ct."
,. -or the !ur!ose o im!lementing the abo%e, the ollowing
"einitions are !ro%i"e":
,.1 Emergency 0 + con"ition or state o !atient wherein base"
on the ob1ecti%e in"ings o a !ru"ent me"ical oicer on "uty or
the "ay there is imme"iate "anger an" where "elay in initial
su!!ort an" treatment may cause loss o lie or cause
!ermanent "isability to the !atient.
,., Serious Case 0 reers to a con"ition o a !atient
characteri)e" by gra%ity or "anger wherein base" on the
ob1ecti%e in"ings o a !ru"ent me"ical oicer on "uty or the
"ay when let unatten"e" to, may cause loss o lie or cause
!ermanent "isability to the !atient.
,.4 Coninement 0 a state o being a"mitte" in a hos!ital or
me"ical clinic or me"ical obser%ation, "iagnosis, testing, an"
treatment consistent with the ca!ability an" a%ailable acilities
o the hos!ital or clinic.
,.7 2os!ital 0 a acility "e%ote" !rimarily to the "iagnosis,
treatment an" care o in"i%i"uals or other me"ical an" nursing
care. It shall also be construe" as any institution, buil"ing or
!lace where there are acilities an" !ersonnel or the continue"
an" !rolonge" care o !atients. The hos!ital shall be "uly
license" by the 5ureau o 9icensing an" >egulation o the
6O2.
,.< Emergency Treatment an" Su!!ort 0 any me"ical or
surgical measure within the ca!ability o a hos!ital or me"ical
clinic that is a"minister by $ualiie" health care !roessionals to
!re%ent the "eath or !ermanent "isability o a !atient. .In
"etermining the ca!ability o a hos!ital or clinic, the stan"ar"s
an" the classiication o these acilities set by the 6O2 5ureau
o 9icensing an" >egulation shall be use"/.
,.: Me"ical Clinic 0 a !lace in which !atients can a%ail o
me"ical consultation or treatment on an out!atient basis.
,.A &ermanent 6isability 0 a con"ition o !hysical "isability as
"eine" un"er +rticle 13,0C an" +rticle 13405 an" C o
&resi"ential 6ecree No. 77,, as amen"e", otherwise (nown as
the 9abor Co"e o the &hili!!ines.
,.? Stabili)e 0 the !ro%ision o necessary care until such time
that the !atient may be "ischarge" or transerre" to another
hos!ital or clinic with a reasonable !robability that no !hysical
"eterioration woul" result rom or occur "uring such "ischarge
or transer.
4. Transer o &atients 0 Section 4 o >.+. ?477 !ro%i"es: "+ter the
hos!ital or me"ical clinic mentione" abo%e shall ha%e a"ministere"
me"ical treatment an" consistent with the nee"s o the !atients
!reerably to a go%ernment hos!ital, s!ecially in the case o !oor or
in"igent !atients."
4.1 The transerring an" recei%ing hos!ital, shall be as much as
!racticable, be within ten .1;/ (ilometer ra"ius o each other.
4., The transer o !atients contem!late" un"er this +ct shall at
all times be !ro!erly "ocumente".
4.4 2os!itals may re$uire a "e!osit or a"%ance !ayment when
the !atient is no longer un"er the state o emergency an"
he#she reuses to be transerre".
7. +ll hos!itals shall use a Bniorm 6ischarge#Transer Sli! or cases
co%ere" by >+ ?477 which shall inclu"e the ollowing inormation:
7.1 +"mission -orm o transerring hos!ital.
7., Transer -orm o Transerring 2os!ital, to inclu"e but not
necessarily limite" to the ollowing inormation:
7.,.1 Cital signs
7.,., Name o +tten"ing &hysician
7.,.4 Treatment gi%en to !atient
7.,.7 Name o recei%ing hos!ital
7.,.< Name o contact !erson an" a!!ro%ing oicial at
recei%ing hos!ital
7.,.: Consent o the !atient or com!anion. In case o an
unaccom!anie" minor or !atient, they may be transerre"
without consent !ro%i"e" that the !ro%isions o Section 1
o >+ ?477 is strictly obser%e".
The hos!ital shall en"ea%or to use all orms o me"ia to
contact the ne't o (in o the unaccom!anie" minor or
!atient.
7.,.A In case o reusal o transer, the name o the
hos!ital, the name.s/ o !ersons who reuse" an" the
reason.s/ or the reusal.
+ co!y o the Bniorm 6ischarge#Transer Sli! is hereto attache" as
+nne' +D.
<. &enal &ro%isions 0 any oicial, me"ical !ractitioner or em!loyee o
the hos!ital or me"ical clinic who %iolates the !ro%isions o >+ ?477
shall, u!on con%iction by inal 1u"gment, be !unishe" by
im!risonment o not less than si' .:/ months an" one .1/ "ay but not
more than two .,/ years an" our months, or a ine o not less than
Twenty Thousan" &esos .&,;,;;;.;;/ but not more than One
2un"re" Thousan" &esos .&1;;,;;;.;;/ or both at the "iscretion o
the court: &ro%i"e", howe%er, That i such %iolation was committe"
!ursuant to an establishe" !olicy o the hos!ital or clinic or u!on
instruction o its management, the "irector or oicer o such hos!ital
or clinic res!onsible or the ormulation an" im!risonment o our .7/
to si' .:/ years, or a ine o not less than One 2un"re" Thousan"
&esos .&1;;,;;;.;;/, but not more than -i%e 2un"re" Thousan"
&esos .&<;;,;;;.;;/ or both, at the "iscretion o the court.
:. In or"er to "emonstrate com!liance with the +ct*s !ro%isions, all
hos!itals an" me"ical clinics are instructe" to institute the ollowing
measures:
:.1 + co!y o the law an" this im!lementing rules an"
regulations shoul" be "is!laye" !rominently at hos!ital
emergency rooms, hos!ital a"mission, counters an" me"ical
clinic !remises.
:., 2os!ital an" clinic managers shall establish billing an"
collection !roce"ure or treatment or coninement o emergency
an" serious cases which shall not commence until the essential
a!!ro!riate treatment o such cases has been com!lete".
:.4 2os!ital an" clinic managers shall instruct their !ersonnel
to !ro%i"e !rom!t an" imme"iate me"ical attention to
emergency an" serious cases without any !rior re$uirements
or !ayment or "e!osit.
:.7 It is clariie" that the law an" this a"ministrati%e or"er
co%ers only the !ro%ision o me"ical an" surgical goo"s an"
ser%ices, an" "o not co%er the !ro%ision o non0me"ical
amenities which ha%e nothing to "o with the treatment o the
emergency or serious case. The !ro%isions o an" !ayment or
these non0me"ical amenities shall be sub1ect to a!!ro!riate
institutional business !ractice.
:.< +llege" %iolations o the +ct an" this Or"er may be re!orte"
to the 5ureau o 9icensing an" >egulations, Oice or
Stan"ar"s an" >egulations, 6e!artment o 2ealth, Sta. Cru),
Manila, or to the nearest >egional 2ealth Oice which shall
imme"iately con"uct a act0in"ing in%estigation. The in"ings
shall be reerre" to the a!!ro!riate iscal or criminal
!rosecution. &ersons con%icte" o %iolation shall be !unishe" in
accor"ance with the +ct.
:.: +t the instance o the 5ureau o 9icensing an" >egulation,
+"ministrati%e !rocee"ings may also be !ursue" against erring
clinics or hos!itals that coul" lea" to either sus!ension or
re%ocation o a!!ro!riate licenses.
These >ules an" >egulations shall ta(e eect iteen .1</ "ays ater
!ublication in the Oicial Ea)ette or in a news!a!er o general circulation.
+"o!te": -ebruary 1?, 133?
.SE6./ CAR,!NC#TA N*R#!%A4R!*+#CA, ,+
Secretary of Health
D &e+t 'vailable at ,ffice of the -ational 'dministrative Register" ./P/ 0a!
Comple+" 1iliman" 2/C.