Question & AnswerQ&A (DOH ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 92 S. 2003)
The rationale is to encourage the employment of expert medical and paramedical personnel in government health facilities by allowing them the privilege of private practice as an incentive, which helps retain them longer, ensures continuous quality improvement of health care delivery, attracts the best professionals, provides adequate medical care especially to indigent patients, enhances teaching, training, interaction, and research, and augments hospital budgets toward fiscal autonomy.
Private practice is defined as clinical practice in which the health services rendered are paid for, and such payment is for the account of the practitioner.
Government Physicians are defined as doctors of medicine who are registered with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and are employed in government-owned hospitals or public health facilities.
Medical Specialists must be holders of plantilla or medical pool items for at least one year; visiting and honorary consultants are eligible; dentists must hold plantilla items for at least one year; and other paramedical and allied professionals must also hold plantilla items for at least one year.
Applicants must have PhilHealth (PHIC) accreditation, a performance evaluation of at least Very Satisfactory from their mother unit for the past 12 months, a certificate of no pending administrative case, and meet additional hospital-specific requirements to safeguard quality health service. Visiting or honorary consultants without plantilla items require hospital credentials committee recommendation and approval by the chief of hospital, along with certification of participation in hospital training activities for renewals.
Interested medical and paramedical professionals apply to their chosen government hospital or facility, fill out sworn statements disclosing any conflicts of interest, and undergo evaluation by the hospital credentials committee. The committee recommends qualified applicants to the Chief of Hospital, who approves the private practice privilege via a notarized Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) witnessed by the Chief of Medical Professional Staff.
Full-time professionals must render eight working hours per day for five days a week (total 40 hours), and part-time professionals four hours per day for five days a week (total 20 hours), exclusive of lunch. Private practice may only be engaged in before or after these stipulated working hours, as defined in the MOA.
Charging deposits or down payments for professional fees is prohibited. Hospital bills must be paid before professional fees. Billing procedures must comply with existing hospital policies and Commission on Audit rules. Professional fees are guided by the standardized Relative Value Scale fees of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) with market-based peso conversion factors. Billing and collection must be processed through the hospital billing unit, and official receipts are issued only by the hospital cashier or authorized representative.
Applicants must disclose any conflict of interest that may arise. If a medical professional is connected to an office responsible for licensing and regulation, and their private interests may influence their official duties, the hospital credentials committee can recommend denial of private practice privileges due to conflict of interest.
Visiting and Honorary Consultants are medical specialists or dentists who have approved appointments as one peso/year consultants in DOH hospitals or government health facilities. They render teaching, training, and consultancy services and are eligible for private practice privileges under the Order.