Law Summary
Objective of the Policy
- Provide guidance on proper ambulance design, staffing, and use.
- Aim to protect and save patients' lives.
- Enable medical providers to perform their duties effectively during transport.
Scope and Coverage
- Applies to all hospitals, health facilities, and agencies, public or private, providing ambulance services.
Definitions
- Ambulance: Vehicle designed and equipped to safely transport patients by land, sea, or air.
- Ambulance Driver: Person with a valid professional driver’s license, Basic Life Support training, and DOH-issued ID.
- Ambulance Service: Delivery of pre- and post-hospital care including transport and medical support.
- Disaster: Public health threat exceeding local emergency capacity.
- Emergency: Immediate risk to life or public safety needing prompt response.
- Medical Care Providers: Licensed doctors, nurses, paramedics providing emergency care.
Key Policy Statements
- All emergency or disaster victims must be safely transported to appropriate hospitals.
- Ambulances are primarily for critical or seriously ill/injured patients.
- Transport of medical staff, blood, and emergency supplies is permitted.
- Use of ambulances is strictly limited to purposes stated in the background and policy sections.
- Transporting cadavers in ambulances is prohibited.
- Safety and protection of patients and medical staff are paramount.
- Agencies must comply with DOH standards and guidelines.
- Hospitals must have ambulance services or be permitted to contract out.
- Ambulances must be properly marked and identified.
- Ambulance services must have trained personnel, proper staffing, well-equipped vehicles matching hospital level, maintained and sanitized vehicles.
- Preferably, ambulance services are supervised by the Emergency Department.
- Only licensed providers may display "AMBULANCE" on vehicles.
- Ambulance personnel should ideally have additional insurance coverage.
Implementing Mechanisms and Responsibilities
- DOH National Center for Health Facility Development: Plans, develops policies, CQI standards.
- DOH Bureau of Health Devices and Technology: Sets ambulance design standards.
- Health Emergency Management Service: Capability building for personnel.
- Bureau of Health Facilities and Services: Licensing and regulation.
- Centers for Health Development: Monitors compliance.
- PHIC: Integrates ambulance services into reimbursable packages and requires compliance.
- Hospitals: Submit to DOH policies, develop SOPs, train personnel, maintain vehicles.
- Department of Transportation and Communication (LTO & Toll Regulatory Board): Manage ambulance registration, emergency lanes, toll-free passage.
- Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office: Procures ambulances following DOH standards.
- Fire Protection Bureau, Private Groups, Local Governments, Hospital Associations, and Red Cross: Compliance, training, and operational support.
- PNP and MMDA: Traffic support, monitoring, enforcement.
- Armed Forces: Compliance and logistical support including air and sea ambulance operations.
Manual of Standards and Guidelines
- DOH Policy and Standards Development Team will oversee preparation of manuals covering design, service, and training.
- Agencies must develop their own SOPs aligned with these manuals.
Repealing Clause
- Previous inconsistent provisions are amended or modified to conform with this Order.
Effectivity
- The Order took effect immediately upon issuance on January 7, 2010.