Objective of the Order
- To establish guidelines mandating private hospitals to allocate a specified percentage of their authorized bed capacity as charity beds.
Scope
- This directive applies exclusively to all private hospitals in the Philippines.
Definitions
- Charity Bed: A hospital bed solely designated for indigent patients or those classified under Classes C and D as per existing administrative guidelines.
- Indigent Patient: An individual certified as indigent by authorized local or hospital officials in the absence of a municipal social worker.
- Private Hospital: Any hospital privately owned and operated through private funds or investments.
Mandatory Requirements and Application
- Private hospitals must allocate at least 10% of their authorized bed capacity to charity beds as a condition for licensure.
- Charity beds are reserved for patients who meet the criteria of indigency or are classified under Classes C or D.
Violations and Penalties
- Non-compliance with these guidelines constitutes a violation of regulations governing hospital registration, licensing, and operations.
- Sanctions for violations will follow existing rules under the One-Stop Shop Licensure System for Hospitals and related administrative orders.
Repealing Clause
- Any previous policies inconsistent with this Order are rescinded or modified to conform with this directive.
Separability Clause
- If any provision is declared invalid or unlawful, other unaffected provisions shall continue to be in full effect.
Effectivity
- The Order takes effect 15 days after its approval and publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.