TACLOBAN CITY — The Northern Samar provincial government is crafting an ordinance aimed at strengthening the enforcement of laws that prohibit hospital detention and the collection of advance deposits from patients needing immediate medical treatment.
The proposed measure, sponsored by Second District Board Member Don Abalon, chair of the committee on laws, justice, human rights, and public accountability, seeks to ensure strict compliance with the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law and the Anti-Hospital Detention Law in hospitals and healthcare facilities across the province.
The measure was tackled during a public hearing last week, where the Sangguniang Panlalawigan convened hospital administrators, healthcare providers, and government agencies to discuss issues affecting patients’ welfare and access to medical services.
Among the concerns raised were the protection of patients’ rights, the need for improved referral systems, faster processing of medical and death certificates, and stronger coordination with government and private institutions in extending medical, burial, and financial assistance to indigent patients.
Stakeholders also discussed the use of promissory notes and guarantee letters as mechanisms to help financially challenged patients settle hospital obligations.
Dr. Ronald Ejercito, administrator of Catarman Doctors Hospital Inc., assured the public that the hospital accepts promissory notes and continues to maximize available patient assistance through its partnership with the Department of Health under the Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients program.
During the hearing, Abalon urged hospitals and clinics to include doctors’ professional fees in guarantee letter assistance packages, noting that this remains a common concern among patients.
The provincial board has given healthcare institutions, local government units, and concerned agencies additional time to submit recommendations before the ordinance proceeds to the next stage of deliberation.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
