QuestionsQuestions (ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2018-0001)
To protect the public and ensure patient and personnel safety by setting the revised mandatory minimum standards and requirements for the licensure of land ambulances and ambulance service providers.
All government and private land ambulances and ambulance service providers.
An Ambulance is a vehicle designed and equipped for transporting sick or injured patients to/from/between places of treatment by land (etc.) while affording safety and avoiding aggravation of illness or injury. An ASP is a health facility/institution/entity (government or private) providing ambulance services.
A Land Ambulance is a vehicle designed and equipped with BLS or ALS for transporting patients. BLS is a set of actions to resuscitate and stabilize victims (e.g., CPR, recognition of cardiac/respiratory emergency or stroke). ALS extends BLS with further life-saving protocols/skills (e.g., circulation support and advanced airway/ventilation).
No land vehicle shall bear the label/marking “AMBULANCE” unless duly licensed and categorized as a land ambulance by the DOH.
They must be categorized as Patient Transport Vehicles (PTVs). PTVs should not bear the word “AMBULANCE” marking and should be labeled “PATIENT TRANSPORT VEHICLE.”
Yes. Every ASP must be organized with an Operations Control and Dispatch Center for its ambulances (business office or space) and ensure adequate parking spaces.
By ownership: Government-owned vs. Private-owned. By institutional character: Institution-based (owned/operated/maintained/used by a DOH-regulated health facility) vs. Non-institution-based/Free-standing (operated independently, possibly servicing health facilities via MOA/service contract).
Type I ambulances provide Basic Life Support (BLS). Type II ambulances provide Advance Life Support (ALS).
Specialty and Level 3 Hospitals: Type II (ALS) ambulance. Level 2 Hospitals: Type I (BLS) ambulance, with option to have Type II. Level 1 Hospitals: Type I (BLS) ambulance plus MOA with a hospital of higher level; may opt to have Type II.
They must enter into a MOA/service agreement with the ASP, and must consider that the ASP can respond within a reasonable time consistent with its capacity/capability.
At least two (2) ambulance personnel (excluding the driver) for every ambulance dispatched; additional staff depends on the emergency nature as determined by management.
Type I: CY 2018–2019: Standard First Aid (SFA) + Basic Life Support (BLS); starting CY 2020: SFA + BLS + EMT training. Type II: CY 2018: SFA + BLS + ACLS; starting CY 2020: SFA + BLS + ACLS + EMT training/Advance-Paramedic training.
The applicant submits required documents (application form, proof of ownership/registration, LTO registration of vehicle, driver’s professional driver license, pays fees). HFSRB/RO-RLED evaluates completeness; if incomplete, the applicant has 30 days to submit complete requirements. Failure to submit within 30 days forfeits the payment.
If inspection finds non-compliance, the applicant is notified of deficiencies and given up to 30 days to comply. The processing days are stopped (“stop-clock”) until deficiencies are complied with; failure within the given timeline leads to disapproval and forfeiture of payment.
Institution-based: valid for one (1) year only. Non-institution-based: valid for three (3) years from January of the first year to December of the third year.
The DOH-LTO is automatically cancelled without notice upon failure to submit a duly accomplished application form and pay the proper fee beyond thirty (30) days from expiration; the ASP must then apply for an initial DOH-LTO.
The DOH-LTO is automatically revoked if the death or injury was found/determined (by the appropriate authority) to be due to negligence or misuse of the ambulance, without prejudice to criminal or civil charges by aggrieved parties.