Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. ___________ 
Introduced by Honorable Ma. Alana Samanta Taliño Santos 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A UNIFIED ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS FOR ALL 
PATIENTS OF PUBLIC HOSPITALS AND CLINICS, ESTABLISHING FOR THIS 
PURPOSE THE ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD CENTER UNDER THE 
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The application of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has revolutionized the healthcare 
sector in recent years. Teleconsulting, streamlined information sharing, public health dashboard monitors 
have promoted cost-efficient and patient-centered service for health. 
This measure proposes a unified Electronic Medical Records (EMR) database that is accessible to patients 
in real time as well as interoperable among all government healthcare facilities and government healthcare 
providers. The creation of this database is aligned with the Republic Act (RA) No. 11223 or the Universal 
Healthcare Act of 2019, as the law requires integrated health information systems, making access to high-
quality health services more equitable.  
While EMR is already used in some hospitals, patient data is mostly siloed and limited to these health 
institutions themselves. In a unified EMR system, every patient’s record is connected to a single national 
database. In allowing patients to access their medical records, it empowers them to make informed decisions 
about their health at any given time. This is an efficient way of communication between patients and 
healthcare providers, collaborating on clinical management and patient medical history  
The EMR database complements Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) National Health 
Data Repository, the central database system of the country’s healthcare, designed as the Single Source of 
Truth (data is structured so that every data point is stored only once). These can be significant tools for 
accurate and real time data on healthcare utilization and outcomes, marking a significant step towards 
achieving true universal healthcare coverage.  
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
MA. ALANA SAMANTHA TALIÑO SANTOS 
Representative 
3rd District, Cotabato Province 
11017
November 4, 2024
12:24 pm


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. ___________ 
Introduced by Honorable Ma. Alana Samanta Taliño Santos 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A UNIFIED ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS FOR ALL 
PATIENTS OF PUBLIC HOSPITALS AND CLINICS, ESTABLISHING FOR THIS 
PURPOSE THE ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD CENTER UNDER THE 
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "One Electronic Medical Records 
Act." 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to adopt an integrated and 
comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, 
health and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost. 
Towards this end, the State shall likewise encourage the integration of Information and 
Communications Technology (ICT) to modernize, improve, and streamline the advancement of 
the healthcare sector. The development of a robust, accurate, and secure database is hereby 
considered indispensable in the government's healthcare program. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall mean: 
1) Electronic Medical Records refer to the digital compilation of a patient's medical profile,
background, and history stored on a computer, including but not limited to, diagnoses,
medications, treatment plans, immunization dates, laboratory tests or examinations. It shall
come in a standard electronic format.
2) Medical Service Providers refer to all medical practitioners, hospitals, clinics, centers
and other similar institutions that provide medical care service and assistance.
3) Department refers to the Department of Health.
11017


4) Records Center refers to the Electronic Medical Records Center created under this Act, 
which shall be an attached agency under the Department of Health. 
 
5) Secure Socket Layer, also known as SSL, refers to a technology which negotiates and 
employs the essential functions of mutual authentication, data encryption, and data 
integrity for secure transactions. The SSL security protocol provides data encryption, 
server authentication, message integrity, and client authentication for a TCP/IP connection. 
 
6) 128-bit encryption refers to a strong method of encryption generated by every encrypted 
transaction. The process of encryption hides data or the contents of a message in such a 
way that the original information can be recovered through a corresponding decryption 
process. Encryption and 19 decryption are common techniques in securing electronic data 
communications. 
 
SECTION 4. Establishment, Maintenance, and Uploading of Electronic Medical Records. - The 
Department of Health (DOH), with the Department of Information and Communications 
Technology (DICT) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) shall establish 
a unified electronic medical records database that shall be accessible to all government-run 
hospitals and medical service providers, PhilHealth and other public healthcare financing 
institutions, and patients. 
 
Notwithstanding all provisions of existing laws to the contrary, medical service providers shall 
establish and maintain electronic medical records, which shall be electronically uploaded on a 
regular basis. The medical service providers shall likewise maintain hard copies of the electronic 
records to be printed and stored as back-up records. 
 
SECTION 5. Electronic Medical Records Center. - There shall be created an Electronic Medical 
Record Center to be placed under the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Health. The 
center shall serve as a hub of all databases of medical records and other pertinent information 
significant to the patient's medical history. 
 
The Records Center shall generate specialized software to be distributed and used as the standard 
platform for the maintenance, updating, uploading, and making available electronic Medical 
Records. The Records Center shall endeavor to create an emergency contact center to assure the 
availability of records and assistance to patients accessing medical records at any time of the day. 
 
SECTION 6. Security Features of Electronic Records. - In order to ensure the security and privacy 
of all medical records, electronic communications and transactions, electronic medical records 
systems shall use 128-bit encryption or higher form of Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology 
which may be devised in the future. 
 
The electronic medical records shall be kept secure and free from interference and unauthorized 
access and for this purpose, it shall be equipped with security measures to protect the integrity and 
confidentiality of these records. Provided, further, that the security features of electronic medical 
records shall comply with the security provisions as provided for in Republic Act No. 8792, 
otherwise known as the Electronic Commerce Law of 2000. 


 
SECTION 7. Data Privacy and Protection. – The right to privacy of health information and 
medical records shall be protected at all times. The information in the electronic database shall be 
protected and covered under the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and other pertinent laws on private data.  
 
The DOH shall implement a privacy  management program, which provides for security measures 
for data protection and procedures for the review of operations and security risks to ensure 
confidentiality and integrity of medical records and computer systems and prevent unlawful or 
fraudulent processing, use, alteration, or disclosure of medical information. 
 
For this purpose, the National Privacy Commission shall recommend data privacy policies and 
standards that will be observed by the Department in the implementation of this Act. 
 
The employees of the Department, hospitals, health care providers, and clinics handling personal 
and sensitive information shall conduct regular training programs to equip the same with the skills 
and knowledge on all relevant laws concerning data privacy and protection. 
 
SECTION 8. Appropriations. - There is hereby authorized to be appropriated for the 
implementation of this Act the amount of One Hundred Million Pesos (P100,000,000.00) for the 
initial operations of the Electronic Medical Center as an attached agency of the Department. 
Thereafter, such amount needed to implement this Act shall be included in the Annual 
Appropriations Act of the Department.  
 
SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department shall create a special 
committee to draft the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) governing this Act. Within three 
(3) months from the effectivity of this Act, the said special committee shall submit the IRR to the 
Secretary of the Department who shall approve the same within thirty (30) days. 
 
SECTION 10. Separability Clause. - If for any reason, any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, parts of provisions of this Act that are not affected shall continue to be 
in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, issuances, rules and 
regulations, or parts thereof not consistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or 
modified and/or superseded as case may be by this Act accordingly. 
 
SECTION 12. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation, 
whichever comes earlier.  
 
Approved,