Republic Act No.

8344 August 25, 1997

AN ACT PENALIIN! T"E RE#$%AL &# "&%PITAL% AN' (E'ICAL CLINIC% T& A'(INI%TER
APPR&PRIATE INITIAL (E'ICAL TREAT(ENT AN' %$PP&RT IN E(ER!ENC) &R %ERI&$%
CA%E%, A(EN'IN! #&R T"E P$RP&%E *ATA% PA(*AN%A *ILAN! 7+2, &T"ER,I%E -N&,N
A% .AN ACT PR&"I*ITIN! T"E 'E(AN' &# 'EP&%IT% &R A'/ANCE PA)(ENT% #&R T"E
C&N#INE(ENT &R TREAT(ENT &# PATIENT% IN "&%PITAL% AN' (E'ICAL CLINIC% IN
CERTAIN CA%E%.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled::
%ectio0 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 unlawful for any rorietor, resi!ent,
!irector, manager or any other officer, an!"or me!ical ractitioner or emloyee of a hosital or
me!ical clinic to re#uest, solicit, !eman! or accet any !eosit or any other form of a!$ance
ayment as a rere#uisite for confinement or me!ical treatment of a atient in such hosital or
me!ical clinic or to refuse to a!minister me!ical treatment an! suort as !ictate! by goo!
ractice of me!icine to re$ent !eath or ermanent !isability: %ro$i!e!, That by reason of
ina!e#uacy of the me!ical caabilities of the hosital or me!ical clinic, the atten!ing hysician
may transfer the atient to a facility where the aroriate care can be gi$en, after the atient or
his ne&t of 'in consents to sai! transfer an! after the recei$ing hosital or me!ical clinic agrees to
the transfer: %ro$i!e!, howe$er, That when the atient is unconscious, incaable of gi$ing
consent an!"or unaccomanie!, the hysician can transfer the atient e$en without his consent:
%ro$i!e!, further, That such transfer shall be !one only after necessary emergency treatment an!
suort ha$e been a!ministere! to stabili(e the atient an! after it has been establishe! that
such transfer entails less ris's than the atient)s continue! confinement: %ro$i!e!, furthermore,
That no hosital or clinic, after being informe! of the me!ical in!ications for such transfer, shall
refuse to recei$e the atient nor !eman! from the atient or his ne&t of 'in any !eosit or
a!$ance ayment: %ro$i!e!, finally, That strict comliance with the foregoing roce!ure on
transfer shall not be construe! as a refusal ma!e unishable by this *ct."
%ectio0 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 uroses of this *ct, the following !efinitions shall go$ern:
"-a. )Emergency) / a con!ition or state of a atient wherein base! on the ob0ecti$e
fin!ings of a ru!ent me!ical officer on !uty for the !ay there is imme!iate !anger an!
where !elay in initial suort an! treatment may cause loss of life or cause ermanent
!isability to the atient.
"-b. )Serious case) / refers to a con!ition of a atient characteri(e! by gra$ity or !anger
wherein base! on the ob0ecti$e fin!ings of a ru!ent me!ical officer on !uty for the !ay
when left unatten!e! to, may cause loss of life or cause ermanent !isability to the
atient.
"-c. )Confinement) / a state of being a!mitte! in a hosital or me!ical clinic for me!ical
obser$ation, !iagnosis, testing, an! treatment consistent with the caability an! a$ailable
facilities of the hosital or clinic.
"-!. )1osital) / a facility !e$ote! rimarily to the !iagnosis, treatment an! care of
in!i$i!uals suffering from illness, !isease, in0ury or !eformity, or in nee! of obstetrical or
other me!ical an! nursing care. It shall also be construe! as any institution, buil!ing or
lace where there are facilities an! ersonnel for the continue! an! rolonge! care of
atients.
"-e. )Emergency treatment an! suort) / any me!ical or surgical measure within the
caability of the hosital or me!ical clinic that is a!ministere! by #ualifie! health care
rofessionals to re$ent the !eath or ermanent !isability of a atient.
"-f. )2e!ical clinic) / a lace in which atients can a$ail of me!ical consultation or
treatment on an outatient basis.
"-g. )%ermanent !isability) / a con!ition of hysical !isability as !efine! un!er *rticle 13+/
C an! *rticle 134/5 an! C of %resi!ential 6ecree No 77+8 as amen!e!, otherwise 'nown
as the 9abor Co!e of the %hiliines.
"-h. )Stabili(e) / the ro$ision of necessary care until such time that the atient may be
!ischarge! or transferre! to another hosital or clinic with a reasonable robability that
no hysical !eterioration woul! result from or occur !uring such !ischarge or transfer.
"SEC. 4. *fter the hosital or me!ical clinic mentione! abo$e shall ha$e a!ministere! me!ical
treatment an! suort, it may cause the transfer of the atient to an aroriate hosital
consistent with the nee!s of the atient, referably to a go$ernment hosital, secially in the case
of oor or in!igent atients.
"SEC. 7. *ny official, me!ical ractitioner or emloyee of the hosital or me!ical clinic who
$iolates the ro$isions of this *ct shall, uon con$iction by final 0u!gment, be unishe! by
imrisonment of not less than si& -:. months an! one -1. !ay but not more than two -+. years an!
four -7. months, or a fine of not less than Twenty thousan! esos -%+;,;;;.;;., but not more
than One hun!re! thousan! esos -%1;;,;;;.;;. or both, at the !iscretion of the court: %ro$i!e!,
howe$er, That if such $iolation was committe! ursuant to an establishe! olicy of the hosital or
clinic or uon instruction of its management, the !irector or officer of such hosital or clinic
resonsible for the formulation an! imlementation of such olicy shall, uon con$iction by final
0u!gment, suffer imrisonment of four -7. to si& -:. years, or a fine of not less than One hun!re!
thousan! esos -%1;;,;;;.;;., but not more than ,i$e hun!re! thousan! esos -%<;;,;;;.;;.
or both, at the !iscretion of the court."
%ectio0 3. Section # of Batas Pambansa Bilang 70 is hereby repealed.
%ectio0 4. Section $ of Batas Pambansa Bilang 70 shall become Section % thereof and shall be
amended to read as follo!s:
"SEC. <. The 6eartment of 1ealth shall romulgate the necessary rules an! regulations to carry
out the ro$isions of this *ct."
%ectio0 5. &his 'ct shall ta(e effect fifteen )1%* days after its publication in t!o )* national ne!spapers
of general circulation.
*ro$e!: August 25, 1997
The 9awhil %ro0ect / *rellano 9aw ,oun!ation
I(PLE(ENTIN! R$LE% AN' RE!$LATI&N% &# REP$*LIC ACT N&. 8344,
&T"ER,I%E -N&,N A% .AN ACT PENALIIN! T"E RE#$%AL &# "&%PITAL% AN' (E'ICAL
CLINIC% T& A'(INI%TER APPR&PRIATE INITIAL (E'ICAL TREAT(ENT AN' %$PP&RT IN
E(ER!ENC) &R %ERI&$% CA%E%, A(EN'IN! #&R T"E P$RP&%E *ATA% PA(*AN%A *ILAN!
7+2, &T"ER,I%E -N&,N A% AN ACT PR&"I*ITIN! T"E 'E(AN' &# 'EP&%IT% &R A'/ANCE
PA)(ENT% #&R T"E C&N#INE(ENT &R TREAT(ENT &# PATIENT% IN "&%PITAL% AN'
(E'ICAL CLINIC% IN CERTAIN CA%E%.
=1E>E*S, the Tenth Congress of the >eublic of the %hiliines enacte! >eublic *ct No. ?477 on
@une ;<, 133A8
=1E>E*S, the %resi!ent of the >eublic of the %hiliines signe! into law >.*. ?477 on *ugust +<,
133A8
=1E>E*S, un!er Section < of >.*. ?477, the 6eartment of 1ealth -6O1. is man!ate! to romulgate
the necessary rules an! regulations to carry out the ro$isions of the aforementione! law.
NO= T1E>E,O>E, ursuant to the ro$isions of >.*. ?477 authori(ing the 6eartment of 1ealth to
romulgate the necessary rules an! regulations, the following are hereby issue!:
1. Section 1 of sai! *ct ro$i!es: "In emergency or serious cases, it shall be unlawful for any
rorietor, resi!ent, !irector, manager or any other officer, an!"or me!ical ractitioner or
emloyee of a hosital or me!ical clinic to re#uest, solicit, !eman! or accet any !eosit or any
other form of a!$ance ayment as a rere#uisite for confinement or me!ical treatment of a
atient in such hosital or me!ical clinic or to refuse to a!minister me!ical treatment an! suort
as !ictate! by goo! ractice of me!icine to re$ent !eath or ermanent !isability: %ro$i!e!, That
by reason of ina!e#uacy of the me!ical caabilities of the hosital or me!ical clinic, the atten!ing
hysician may transfer the atient to a facility where aroriate care can be gi$en, after the
atient or his ne&t of 'in consents to sai! transfer: %ro$i!e!, howe$er, That when the atient is
unconscious, incaable of gi$ing consent an!"or unaccomanie!, the hysician can transfer the
atient e$en without his consent, %ro$i!e!, further, That such transfer shall be !one only after the
necessary emergency treatment an! suort ha$e been a!ministere! to stabili(e the atient an!
after it has been establishe! that such transfer entails less ris's than the atient)s continue!
confinement: %ro$i!e!, finally, That strict comliance with the foregoing roce!ure on transfer
shall not be construe! as a refusal ma!e unishable by this *ct."
+. ,or the urose of imlementing the abo$e, the following !efinitions are ro$i!e!:
+.1 Emergency / * con!ition or state of atient wherein base! on the ob0ecti$e fin!ings of
a ru!ent me!ical officer on !uty for the !ay there is imme!iate !anger an! where !elay
in initial suort an! treatment may cause loss of life or cause ermanent !isability to the
atient.
+.+ Serious Case / refers to a con!ition of a atient characteri(e! by gra$ity or !anger
wherein base! on the ob0ecti$e fin!ings of a ru!ent me!ical officer on !uty for the !ay
when left unatten!e! to, may cause loss of life or cause ermanent !isability to the
atient.
+.4 Confinement / a state of being a!mitte! in a hosital or me!ical clinic for me!ical
obser$ation, !iagnosis, testing, an! treatment consistent with the caability an! a$ailable
facilities of the hosital or clinic.
+.7 1osital / a facility !e$ote! rimarily to the !iagnosis, treatment an! care of
in!i$i!uals or other me!ical an! nursing care. It shall also be construe! as any institution,
buil!ing or lace where there are facilities an! ersonnel for the continue! an! rolonge!
care of atients. The hosital shall be !uly license! by the 5ureau of 9icensing an!
>egulation of the 6O1.
+.< Emergency Treatment an! Suort / any me!ical or surgical measure within the
caability of a hosital or me!ical clinic that is a!minister by #ualifie! health care
rofessionals to re$ent the !eath or ermanent !isability of a atient. -In !etermining the
caability of a hosital or clinic, the stan!ar!s an! the classification of these facilities set
by the 6O1 5ureau of 9icensing an! >egulation shall be use!..
+.: 2e!ical Clinic / a lace in which atients can a$ail of me!ical consultation or
treatment on an outatient basis.
+.A %ermanent 6isability / a con!ition of hysical !isability as !efine! un!er *rticle 13+/C
an! *rticle 134/5 an! C of %resi!ential 6ecree No. 77+, as amen!e!, otherwise 'nown
as the 9abor Co!e of the %hiliines.
+.? Stabili(e / the ro$ision of necessary care until such time that the atient may be
!ischarge! or transferre! to another hosital or clinic with a reasonable robability that
no hysical !eterioration woul! result from or occur !uring such !ischarge or transfer.
4. Transfer of %atients / Section 4 of >.*. ?477 ro$i!es: "*fter the hosital or me!ical clinic
mentione! abo$e shall ha$e a!ministere! me!ical treatment an! consistent with the nee!s of the
atients referably to a go$ernment hosital, secially in the case of oor or in!igent atients."
4.1 The transferring an! recei$ing hosital, shall be as much as racticable, be within ten
-1;. 'ilometer ra!ius of each other.
4.+ The transfer of atients contemlate! un!er this *ct shall at all times be roerly
!ocumente!.
4.4 1ositals may re#uire a !eosit or a!$ance ayment when the atient is no longer
un!er the state of emergency an! he"she refuses to be transferre!.
7. *ll hositals shall use a Bniform 6ischarge"Transfer Sli for cases co$ere! by >* ?477 which
shall inclu!e the following information:
7.1 *!mission ,orm of transferring hosital.
7.+ Transfer ,orm of Transferring 1osital, to inclu!e but not necessarily limite! to the
following information:
7.+.1 Cital signs
7.+.+ Name of *tten!ing %hysician
7.+.4 Treatment gi$en to atient
7.+.7 Name of recei$ing hosital
7.+.< Name of contact erson an! aro$ing official at recei$ing hosital
7.+.: Consent of the atient or comanion. In case of an unaccomanie! minor
or atient, they may be transferre! without consent ro$i!e! that the ro$isions
of Section 1 of >* ?477 is strictly obser$e!.
The hosital shall en!ea$or to use all forms of me!ia to contact the ne&t of 'in of
the unaccomanie! minor or atient.
7.+.A In case of refusal of transfer, the name of the hosital, the name-s. of
ersons who refuse! an! the reason-s. for the refusal.
* coy of the Bniform 6ischarge"Transfer Sli is hereto attache! as *nne& *D.
<. %enal %ro$isions / any official, me!ical ractitioner or emloyee of the hosital or me!ical clinic
who $iolates the ro$isions of >* ?477 shall, uon con$iction by final 0u!gment, be unishe! by
imrisonment of not less than si& -:. months an! one -1. !ay but not more than two -+. years an!
four months, or a fine of not less than Twenty Thousan! %esos -%+;,;;;.;;. but not more than
One 1un!re! Thousan! %esos -%1;;,;;;.;;. or both at the !iscretion of the court: %ro$i!e!,
howe$er, That if such $iolation was committe! ursuant to an establishe! olicy of the hosital or
clinic or uon instruction of its management, the !irector or officer of such hosital or clinic
resonsible for the formulation an! imrisonment of four -7. to si& -:. years, or a fine of not less
than One 1un!re! Thousan! %esos -%1;;,;;;.;;., but not more than ,i$e 1un!re! Thousan!
%esos -%<;;,;;;.;;. or both, at the !iscretion of the court.
:. In or!er to !emonstrate comliance with the *ct)s ro$isions, all hositals an! me!ical clinics
are instructe! to institute the following measures:
:.1 * coy of the law an! this imlementing rules an! regulations shoul! be !islaye!
rominently at hosital emergency rooms, hosital a!mission, counters an! me!ical
clinic remises.
:.+ 1osital an! clinic managers shall establish billing an! collection roce!ure for
treatment or confinement of emergency an! serious cases which shall not commence
until the essential aroriate treatment of such cases has been comlete!.
:.4 1osital an! clinic managers shall instruct their ersonnel to ro$i!e romt an!
imme!iate me!ical attention to emergency an! serious cases without any rior
re#uirements for ayment or !eosit.
:.7 It is clarifie! that the law an! this a!ministrati$e or!er co$ers only the ro$ision of
me!ical an! surgical goo!s an! ser$ices, an! !o not co$er the ro$ision of non/me!ical
amenities which ha$e nothing to !o with the treatment of the emergency or serious case.
The ro$isions of an! ayment for these non/me!ical amenities shall be sub0ect to
aroriate institutional business ractice.
:.< *llege! $iolations of the *ct an! this Or!er may be reorte! to the 5ureau of
9icensing an! >egulations, Office for Stan!ar!s an! >egulations, 6eartment of 1ealth,
Sta. Cru(, 2anila, or to the nearest >egional 1ealth Office which shall imme!iately
con!uct a fact/fin!ing in$estigation. The fin!ings shall be referre! to the aroriate fiscal
for criminal rosecution. %ersons con$icte! of $iolation shall be unishe! in accor!ance
with the *ct.
:.: *t the instance of the 5ureau of 9icensing an! >egulation, *!ministrati$e
rocee!ings may also be ursue! against erring clinics or hositals that coul! lea! to
either susension or re$ocation of aroriate licenses.
These >ules an! >egulations shall ta'e effect fifteen -1<. !ays after ublication in the Official Ea(ette or
in a newsaer of general circulation.
*!ote!: ,ebruary 1?, 133?
-SE6.. CAR(ENCITA N&RIE!A1RE&'ICA, ('
Secretary of Health
D &e+t 'vailable at ,ffice of the -ational 'dministrative Register" ./P/ 0a! Comple+" 1iliman" 2/C.