Question & AnswerQ&A (ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2018-0001)
The primary objective is to protect the public and ensure the safety of patients and personnel by setting the minimum standards and requirements for land ambulances and ambulance service providers.
They apply to all government and private land ambulances and ambulance service providers in the Philippines.
An Ambulance Service Provider (ASP) is a health facility, institution, or entity, whether government or privately owned, providing ambulance services.
Institution-based ambulances are owned, operated, maintained and used by a health facility regulated by the DOH. Non-institution-based/Free-Standing ambulances are operated independently from a health facility but may service a health facility through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) or service contract.
Government-owned ambulances are managed and operated wholly by government agencies or institutions. Private ambulances are owned, managed, and operated through funds by any individual, corporation, association, or organization, and may take various forms such as proprietorship, partnership, cooperative, foundation, etc.
Type I ambulances provide Basic Life Support (BLS). Type II ambulances provide Advance Life Support (ALS).
No land vehicle shall bear the label or marking of the word 'AMBULANCE' unless it has been duly licensed and categorized as a land ambulance by the Department of Health.
As of 2018-2019: Standard First Aid (SFA) and Basic Life Support (BLS). Starting 2020 onwards: SFA, BLS, and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training.
Applicants must submit a duly accomplished application form, proof of ownership, vehicle registration, and driver's professional license to the HFSRB or RO-RLED; pay the corresponding fee; undergo inspection; and upon compliance and approval, be issued the DOH-LTO and official ambulance logo to be displayed on the vehicle.
The DOH License to Operate of the ambulance service provider shall be automatically revoked. This is in addition to any criminal or civil charges that may be filed against the provider. The provider is prohibited from applying for another DOH-LTO for at least one year.
For institution-based ambulances, the DOH-LTO is valid for one year following the One-Stop Shop system. For non-institution-based ambulance service providers, the DOH-LTO is valid for three years from January of the first year to December of the third year.
An appeal may be filed within ten days after receipt of the decision to the Head of the Office for Health Regulation (OHR). Further appeal can be made to the Secretary of Health within ten days after the OHR's decision. The Secretary's decision is absolute and executory.
PTVs are land vehicles designed to transport patients whose condition is non-life threatening. They should not bear the marking 'AMBULANCE' but are labeled 'PATIENT TRANSPORT VEHICLE' and are not licensed by the HFSRB but registered using a prescribed form.
Ambulances must bear the word 'AMBULANCE' in reflectorized, capital letters, spelled in reverse on the front (at least 10 cm letter height), and not less than 15 cm on the sides and rear. The prescribed DOH ambulance logo must be displayed on the rear. They may optionally display the blue 'Star of Life' emblem.
The Health Facilities and Services Regulatory Bureau (HFSRB) or the Regional Office Regulation Licensing and Enforcement Division (RO-RLED) conducts regular monitoring and inspections.