Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 11959)
The short title of Republic Act No. 11959 is the "Regional Specialty Centers Act."
The Act declares that it is the policy of the State to protect and promote the right to health of the people by making health services available, accessible, and affordable and to establish specialty healthcare centers in all regions of the Philippines.
A National Specialty Center (NSC) is defined as a specialty center with the highest level of expertise in clinical services, teaching, training, and research, including specialty centers designated by the DOH and GOCC Specialty Hospitals mandated by law.
The Act establishes three types of specialty centers: National Specialty Centers (NSCs), Advanced Comprehensive Specialty Centers (ACSCs), and Basic Comprehensive Specialty Centers (BCSCs), categorized according to their level of service capability and the Philippine Health Facility Development Plan.
Specialty centers are to be established in Department of Health (DOH) hospitals across all regions and in Government-Owned or -Controlled Corporation (GOCC) specialty hospitals as per their mandates.
The prioritized specialties include cancer care, cardiovascular care, lung care, renal care and kidney transplant, brain and spine care, trauma care, burn care, orthopedic care, physical rehabilitation medicine, infectious disease and tropical medicine, toxicology, mental health, geriatric care, neonatal care, dermatology, eye care, and ear, nose and throat care.
NSCs serve as core information hubs, lead in policy development for specialties, provide scientific leadership in research, conduct specialty training and technical assistance to other centers, and assess service capacities of ACSCs and BCSCs.
The DOH is responsible for determining the organizational structure and staffing patterns of specialty centers, ensuring sustainability through policies and programs for recruitment, training, and retention of specialists, subject to the Department of Budget and Management's approval and civil service laws.
No, the establishment of specialty centers or any part thereof in separate premises under the same management of a DOH hospital does not require a separate license.
The DOH must provide Congress with an annual report on the activities, accomplishments, and operational plans of specialty centers and facilitate a systematic evaluation of the Act’s implementation and impact five years after its effectivity.
Initial funding shall come from the current year’s DOH appropriation. Subsequently, the DOH must include the establishment and operation of specialty centers in its programs, with funding reflected in the annual General Appropriations Act.
The DOH must promulgate the Implementing Rules and Regulations within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of the Act.
Criteria include upgrading hospitals per the Resource Stratified Framework, evidence of health needs and disease burden, service capability and accessibility, appropriate role within healthcare continuum, availability of competent health human resources, and operational financial performance including PhilHealth accreditation.
An Advanced Comprehensive Specialty Center (ACSC) serves full specialty and subspecialty clinical services at the subnational level and provides clinical, public health, operations research, and training. A Basic Comprehensive Specialty Center (BCSC) serves full specialty clinical services at the regional level with capacity for clinical, operational, public health research, and training.