Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES YR ECEI VED
Quezon City, Metro Manila é DATEHAN 07 21
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS :

Second Regular Session
8321
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representative Manuel Luis T. Lopez

AN ACT
MANDATING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF HEALTHCARE INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN ALL MEDICAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, ESTABLISHING
FOR THIS PURPOSE THE HEALTHCARE INFORMATION RECORD CENTER UNDER
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In the middle of a pandemic, the importance of an effective and sustainable management
system for medical service providers becomes evident. With thousands of new COVID-19 cases
daily, more and more of our hospitals reach full capacity and our healthcare providers become
overworked.

‘The proposed measure aims to contribute to strengthening the healthcare management
systems in the country by integrating information and communications technology in the
collection, storage, retrieval, and exchange of patient healthcare information. By mandating the
establishment of a Healthcare Information Management System that will digitize paper charts
and other patient healthcare information in hospitals and clinics, this bill aims to, firstly, lighten
the manual work of our medical service providers and, secondly, to improve overall patient care,

An electronic-based healthcare information system will streamline the process of
admission, consultation, and even diagnosis in hospitals and clinics. It will also reduce errors in
the recording of patient healthcare information. This system will likewise enable medical service
providers and even patients to easily access healthcare information, especially in times of
emergency.

Itis in these precarious times that we, as legislators, should continue to explore ways to
support and capacitate our medical service providers and to improve patient care for our fellow
Filipinos. As we continue to hold the ropes for our modern day heroes in the medical profession,
urge my fellow legislators to ensure the urgent passage of this bill.

HON. kha a OPEZ

Representat
1 District, City of Manila


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 8322

Introduced by Representative Manuel Luis T. Lopez

AN ACT
MANDATING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF HEALTHCARE INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN ALL MEDICAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, ESTABLISHING
FOR THIS PURPOSE THE HEALTHCARE INFORMATION RECORD CENTER UNDER
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines
in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Electronic Healthcare
Information Act of 2020".

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared policy of the State to adopt an
integrated and comprehensive approach to health development by utilizing Information
and Communications Technology in strengthening the management capacity of medical
service providers and improving patient care. Towards this end, the State shall ensure
that medical service providers have an efficient, secured, and reliable system for
electronic healthcare information and that patients can easily access this information in
times of emergency.

Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - For purpose of this Act, the following terms shall
mean:

1) Electronic Healthcare Information - shall refer to an electronic document
containing the medical background, history, and such other relevant
healthcare information of a patient.

2) Medical Service Providers - shall refer to all medical practitioners, hospitals,
clinics, centers, and other similar institutions that provide medical care service
and assistance.

3) Medical Practitioners - shall refer to licensed physicians.

4) Department - shall refer to the Department of Health.

Page 2 of 4


Seaorauavne

i
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
a
40
41
42
43

45
46
47
48
49

5) Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) - shall refer to the technology for establishing
secure transactions and transmissions of data through mutual authentication,
data encryption, and data integrity.

6) 128-bit Encryption - shall refer to a secure data or file encryption technique
that uses a 128-bit key to encrypt and decrypt data or files.

Sec. 4, Establishment of an Healthcare Information Management System. - All
provisions of existing laws to the contrary notwithstanding, all medical service providers
are mandated to establish an Healthcare Information Management System, hereinafter
referred to as System, that will enable medical service providers to collect, store, retrieve,
and exchange patient healthcare information efficiently and securely and will improve
overall patient care, All existing healthcare information are hereby required to be
converted into electronic formats and uploaded in the System. After the effectivity of this
Act, all new healthcare information should be recorded and uploaded in the System on a
regular basis.

Provided, that, all medical service providers may elect to keep their existing
physical or electronic healthcare information system in addition to the new Healthcare
Information Records System. Provided, further that, medical service providers shall
likewise maintain an electronic backup database for all their healthcare information.

Sec, 5. Establishment of the Healthcare Information Records Center. - There
shall be created an Healthcare Information Record Center, hereinafter referred to as
Center, to be placed under the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Health. The
Center shall serve as a hub of all databanks of medical records and other pertinent
information significant to the patient's medical history.

‘The Center shall generate specialized software to be distributed and used as the
standard platform for the maintenance, updating, uploading, and accessing electronic
medical records.

The Center shall enforce strict compliance with the uploading and updating of
electronic medical records as provided for in this Act.

Sec. 6. Accessing Healthcare Information. - Patients are entitled to access and
secure a copy of their electronic healthcare information. For this purpose, medical service
providers shall ensure that electronic healthcare information are created in a generic and
easily readable electronic format. Moreover, medical service providers should ensure
that a patient's electronic healthcare information is easily exportable through the
patient's portable storage device such as a USB flash drive or optical discs such as
compact discs (CDs) and digital versatile discs (DVDs), or through electronic mail.

Sec. 7. Security Features. ~ In order to assure the privacy of all medical records,
electronic communications, and transactions, all Healthcare Information Management
Systems shall use a 128-bit encryption or a more secured Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
technology.

Page 3 of 4


Soar sHaune

on
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28

The security features of all Healthcare Information Management Systems shall
likewise comply with the provisions of Republic Act No. 8792, also known as the
Electronic Commerce Law of 2000, and Republic Act No. 10173, otherwise known as the
Data Privacy Act of 2012.

Sec. 8. Funding. - There is hereby authorized to be appropriated for the
implementation of this Act the amount of Ten Million Pesos (Php 10,000,000.00) for the
initial operations of the Healthcare Information Records 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.

Sec. 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 special committee shall
submit the IRR to the Secretary of the Department who shall approve it within thirty (30)
days.

Sec. 10, Separability Clause. - If for any reason, any part or provision of this Act
is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected
thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

Sec. 11. Repealing Clause. - All laws, rules, or orders inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed.

Sec. 12. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect upon completion of its
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

Page 4 of &