Hospitals can’t refuse COVID-19 patients: DOH

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THE Department of Health yesterday warned hospitals and medical facilities against refusing to attend to suspected or confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients, even if some of these are at risk of reaching full capacity.

In a press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said all medical facilities must promptly attend to all suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients.

“We reminded hospitals that when these patients come to them, the mild and asymptomatic ones, they must be attended to also,” said Vergeire. “They cannot just or directly say to the patients that they cannot be accommodated there.”

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Under Republic Act No. 10932) or the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law, it is unlawful for any hospital or medical clinic to “refuse to administer medical treatment and support to any patient” in emergency or serious cases. Any official, medical practitioner, or employee of the hospital or medical clinic, who violates the law, shall be punished with imprisonment ranging from six months to six years, or a fine from P100,000 to P1 million, or both.

Vergeire issued the reminder amid reports that several government and private hospitals are at “moderate risk level” of their critical care resources for COVID-19 cases. Some hospitals even said they have reached 100 percent utilization rate of their COVID-19-dedicated ICU beds.

She told hospitals and health facilities of the protocol that mild and asymptomatic cases should be brought to temporary treatment and monitoring facilities.

“We specifically instructed and, it’s even part of our protocol, that if there are mild and asymptomatic cases, they should be in the temporary treatment and monitoring facilities with adequate monitoring, so that hospitals won’t be congested,” she said.

“Last Monday, this was again brought up to our hospital administrators and chiefs that mild and asymptomatic patients should be in another facility,” she said.

Vergeire, however, stressed that coordination must be established with facilities before having the mild and asymptomatic patients transferred.

“There must be proper coordination and referral of mild and asymptomatic cases, as well as the necessary monitoring of the patients so that it can be assured that they are taken care off,” said Vergeire.

As of July 7, the government has established 14 “Mega Ligtas” COVID-19 facilities with a total of 3,193 dedicated beds.

They are the Philippine International Convention Center (294 beds dedicated), World Trade Center (494), Las Piñas Rehabilitation Center (70), Quezon Institute (112), Ultra Stadium (132), Rizal Memorial Coliseum (97), Ninoy Aquino Stadium (112), Ynares Sports Complex, ASEAN Convention Center (150), NCC NGAC (668), Philippine Arena (300), Filinvest (108), Mega TRC (506), and Alonte Sports Arena (150).

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