Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL No. _______ 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Introduced by HONORABLE ERNESTO “ERNIX” M. DIONISIO, JR. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL PATIENT NAVIGATION AND REFERRAL SYSTEM 
FOR THE PURPOSE OF STRENGTHENING THE PROVISION OF HEALTH CARE 
DELIVERY SYSTEM, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Section 15, Article II of the 1987 Constitution states: “The State shall protect 
and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among 
them.” 
Likewise, Section 11, Article XIII of the 1987 Constitution states: “The State 
shall 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. There shall be a priority for the needs of the 
underprivileged sick, elderly, disabled, women, and children. The State shall endeavor 
to provide free medical care to paupers.” 
In line with the aforementioned Constitutional provisions, this bill seeks to 
introduce mechanisms that will provide linkages amongst healthcare providers, with 
the goal of providing real-time, efficient updates on available resources to the general 
public. With the advent of the pandemic, as well as evolving health predicaments, the 
passage of this bill will save lives. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is highly sought. 
October 7, 2022
4:44 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL No. _______ 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Introduced by HONORABLE ERNESTO “ERNIX” M. DIONISIO, JR. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL PATIENT NAVIGATION AND REFERRAL SYSTEM 
FOR THE PURPOSE OF STRENGTHENING THE PROVISION OF HEALTH CARE 
DELIVERY SYSTEM, 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 "National Patient 
Navigation and Referral System Act" 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policies. – It is the policy of the State to protect and 
promote the right to health of all Filipinos and instill health consciousness among them. 
It is likewise the policy of the State to improve the delivery of health care services to 
the people and to ensure efficiency in the process of accessing quality health services 
and availing medical and financial assistance to fund health services. Towards this 
end, the State shall establish an integrated patient navigation and referral system that 
shall provide coherent and seamless Ilinkages among relevant health facilities and 
agencies throughout the country. 
SEC. 3. Scope. - This Act applies to all public and private hospitals, infirmaries, 
and other health facilities such as primary care, custodial care, diagnostic/therapeutic, 
specialized out-patient, and telehealth service providers, including appropriate 
national, regional, and local government agencies throughout the country. 
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. – For the purposes of this Act, the following terms 
shall mean: 
a) Gatekeeping refers to the process by which primary care providers, acting
as the navigator, coordinator, and initial and continuing point of contact in
the health care delivery system, authorize access to specialty care, hospital
care, and diagnostic tests;
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b) Health care refers to the maintenance or improvement of the health of 
individuals or population through the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, 
rehabilitation, and chronic management of disease, illness, injury and other 
physical and mental ailments or impairments of human beings; 
c) Health facilities refer to an institution that has health care as its core service, 
function or business; 
d) Patient navigation refers to directing and assisting an individual to obtain 
health care services and overcome barriers for timely, cost-effective, and 
appropriate medical care; 
e) Referral mechanism refers to the process of coordination in which a health 
worker at one level of the health system, has insufficient resources (drugs, 
equipment, skills) to manage a clinical condition seeks the assistance of a 
better or differently resourced facility at the same or higher level to assist in, 
or take over the management of the patient; 
f) Telehealth refers to the delivery of health care services, where patients and 
providers are separated by distance using information and communication 
technology. 
 
SEC. 5. Establishment of a National Patient Navigation and Referral 
System. - There shall be established a National Patient Navigation and Referral 
System to support, strengthen, and facilitate the provision of health services of primary 
care providers acting as the navigator, coordinator, and initial and continuing point of 
contact in the health care delivery system pursuant to Republic Act No. 11223, 
otherwise known as the "Universal Health Care Act" 
 
SEC. 6. Purposes. – The NPNRS Shall have the following purposes:  
 
a) Support and strengthen the province-wide and city-wide health care 
provider networks throughout the country; 
b) Facilitate vertical and horizontal linkages and coordination among local 
government units, hospitals, infirmaries, other health facilities, telehealth 
service providers, local and national government agencies to maximize the 
use of limited health resources and improve access to quality health 
services for patients; 
c) Develop and maintain an inventory of existing health services and human 
resources of both public and private health facilities that shall serve as a 
guide in directing patients as well as a gatekeeper in ensuring rational and 
efficient use of existing health resources; 
d) Interconnect and facilitate communication among hospitals, infirmaries, 
other health facilities, telehealth service providers, and local and national 
government agencies to improve access to quality health services for 
patients; 
e) Develop and implement patient navigation services and referral 
mechanisms that shall assist patients to identify and reach the appropriate 
health facility and receive quality health service in a timely manner and 
consistent with the role of primary care providers in the health systems 
gatekeeping mechanism; 
f) Include patient navigation and referral services to Malasakit Centers and 
other government and non-government organizations that can provide 
financial health assistance to ensure full range of support services from 


identifying and reaching appropriate facility to ensuring financial health 
protection of patients; and 
g) Ensure patient privacy and confidentiality and that only those involved in 
patient's care shall have access to his/her information in compliance with 
Republic Act No. 10173, otherwise known as the "Data Privacy Act of 2012". 
 
SEC. 7. Establishment of a National Patient Navigation and Referral 
Center (NPNRC). — There shall be established a National Patient Navigation and 
Referral Center (NPNRC). The existing One Hospital Command Center shall be 
expanded to perform the functions of the NPNRC, which shall be created as a unit 
under the Department of Health. 
 
SEC. 8. Functions and Responsibilities. – The NPNRC shall have the 
following powers and functions: 
(a) Serve as the implementing arm of the NPNRS, which shall provide patient 
navigation assistance services, facilitate coordination and referral within or 
across health care provider networks, conduct data analytics to ensure 
efficient utilization of health services, and improve access to healthcare in 
alignment with the UHC Act; 
(b) Access to health facility information, which may include, but are not limited 
to, current bed allocation and utilization, current Health Human Resources 
(HRH), and others as may be deemed necessary by the Secretary of Health; 
(c) Link patients and health facilities to local government units (LGUS) 
ambulances and patient transport vehicles as necessary; 
(d) Guide patients needing financial assistance to cover the cost of medical 
expenses beyond what is covered by the Philippine Health Insurance 
Corporation by referring them to the Malasakit Centers and other agencies 
with such mandate; 
(e) Work in close coordination with government and private hospitals, 
infirmaries, other health facilities, telehealth service providers, local and 
national government agencies; 
(f) Provide oversight to Regional Patient Navigation and Referral Centers;  
(g) Coordinate with the Department of Information and Communication 
Technology (DICT) for connectivity support; and 
(h) Call upon any government office or instrumentality, including government-
owned or-controlled corporations, government financial institutions, LGUS, 
non-government organizations, and the private sector for assistance or as 
the circumstances may require. 
 
The NPNRC shall be provided a base of operations and the necessary 
resources, which shall include but are not limited to infrastructure, equipment, and 
human resources, to fulfill functions subject to compliance with the usual government 
auditing and budget rules. It shall also house the Malasakit Program Office for close 
coordination. 
 
SEC. 9. Establishment of Regional Patient Navigation and Referral 
Centers (RPNRCS). – Regional Patient Navigation and Referral Centers (RPNRCS) 
shall be established in all administrative regions of the country. The existing Regional 
One Hospital Command Centers in each region and in Bangsamoro Autonomous 


Region of Muslim Mindanao shall be expanded to become the RPNRCS, which shall 
be lodged under the Center for Health Development (CHD) of the respective regions. 
 
SEC. 10. Functions and Responsibilities of the RPNRCS. -- The RPNRCS 
shall have the following powers and functions: 
a) Serve as the implementing arm of the NPNRC at the regional level to 
improve access to healthcare in alignment with Universal Health Care; 
b) Perform the roles and functions of the NPNRC as stipulated in Section 8 of 
this Act within their respective jurisdiction; and 
c) Work in close coordination with NPNRC and other RPNRCS for timely 
reporting and coordination of inter-regional referrals. 
 
The RPNRC shall be provided a base of operations and the necessary 
resources, which include but are not limited to infrastructure, equipment, and human 
resources, to fulfill its functions through the CHDS. 
 
SEC. 11. Organization. – The Secretary of Health shall determine the 
organizational structure and staffing modifications of the NPNRC and the RPNRCS 
Subject to the approval of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in 
accordance with the existing civil service laws, rules, and regulations. 
 
SEC. 12. Penalty. – It shall be prohibited for any official, medical practitioner 
or employee of any health facility to refuse to accept a patient referred by the National 
Patient Navigation and Referral Center or Regional Patient Navigation and Referral 
Unit without a just and reasonable ground. 
 
The penalty for refusal to accept a patient referred to them shall be prescribed 
in the Implementing Rules and Regulations to be formulated by the Department of 
Health and relevant stakeholders.  
 
SEC. 13. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions 
of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
 
SEC. 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Secretary of Health 
shall, in consultation with the appropriate government and private agencies, issue the 
necessary implementing rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this 
Act within ninety days (90) from its effectivity. 
 
SECTION 15. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act shall be 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall 
remain in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION. 16. Repealing Clause. –  All laws, decrees, orders, issuances, 
orders and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 17. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,