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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
.s I? l'f it t I' 
11}fr.;c of tll.'>m 'I",~ 
First Regular Session 
) 
'13 
SEP -5 1'5 :46 
SENATE 
S.No. 1579 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 15 provides that: 
SEC. 15. The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the 
people and instill health consciousness among them. 
This bill is intended to encourage the use of medical checklists, and calls on the 
Department of Health (DOH) to conduct a study on the development and efficacy of medical 
checklists. 
Checklists are used in both medical and non-medical industries as cognitive aids to guide 
users through accurate task completion. A checklist is an organized tool that outlines criteria of 
consideration for a particular process. It functions· as a support resource by delineating and 
categorizing items as a list - a format that simplifies conceptualization and recall of information. 
Checklists have proven effective in various aspects of performance improvement and error 
prevention and management.' 
Under the proposed bill, a medical checklist is defined as a predetermined, evidence-
based, well-defined set of steps that should be completed during a designated medical clinical 
encounter or medical procedure. 
The bill also requires the DOH to develop policy recommendations regarding the extent 
to which medical checklists should be incorporated into health information technology systems 
and measures to evaluate their effectiveness .. 
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• http://intqhc,oxfordjournals,orglcontentl20/1/22.full.pdf 
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENA~9 
S. No. -=1'--__ 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF MEDICAL CHECKLISTS 
.Serwtl" 
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SEP -5 P5 :46 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "The Medical Checklists Act." 
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SECTION 2. Definition of Terms. - For purposes ofthis Act, the term: 
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(A) 
"DOH" refers to the Department of Health; 
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(B) 
"Health care professional" mearts an individual who provides health care services, 
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including a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, and such 
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other individuals as the Secretary of Health determines appropriate; 
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(C) 
"Health care setting" means a facility at which health care services are provided, . 
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including a hospital providing inpatient hospital services, an ambulatory surgical center, and 
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such other settings as the Secretary of Healtlrttermines appropriate; 
(D) 
"Health care provider" refersh~61·f 
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(a) 
a health care institution,'~hich is duly licensed and accredited devoted 
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primarily to the maintenance and operation of facilities for health 
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promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care of individuals 
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suffering from illness, disease, injury, disability, or deformity, or in need of 
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obstetrical or other medical and nursing care. It shall aiso be construed as 
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any institution, building, or place where there are installed beds, cribs, or 
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bassinets for twenty-four hour use or longer by patients in the treatment of 
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diseases, injuries, deformities, or abnormal physical and mental states, 
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(E) 
maternity cases or sanitarial care; or infirmaries, nurseries, dispensaries, and 
such other similar names by which they may be designated; or 
(b) 
a health care professional, who is any doctor of medicine, nurse, midwife, 
dentist, or other health care professional or practitioner duly licensed to 
practice in the Philippines; or 
(c) 
a health maintenance organization, which is an entity that provides, offers, 
or arranges for coverage of designated health services needed by plan 
members for a fixed prepaid preminm; or 
(d) 
a community-based health care organization, which is organized for the 
purpose of improving the health statns of that community through 
preventive, promotive, and curative health services. 
"Medical checklist" means a predetermined, evidence-based, well-defined set of 
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steps that should be completed during a designated medical clinical encounter or medical 
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procedure, as further defined by the Secretary of Health. 
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SECTION 3. Research into Medical Checklist Development and Efficacy. -
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(A) 
Stndy - The DOH shall conduct research and a study, in accordance with the 
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requirements of this section, regarding the development and efficacy ofmediciU checklists. 
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(B) 
Contents - In carrying out subsection (A), the DOH shall conduct research and a 
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study regarding the following: 
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(1) 
Testing of different models of medical checklists to measure the effect of 
checklist format, length, and design for different clinical tasks on the 
adoption of checklists by health care professionals; time spent by health care 
professionals on the clinical task of interest; and reliable completion of 
health care procedures. 
(2) 
Examination of checklist development and use in other industries, such as 
commercial aviation and nuclear power, and the feasibility of applying and 
adapting methodology developed in those industries to the health care 
industry in a way that would result in health care quality improvement. 
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(C) 
(3) 
Identification of organizational characteristics needed to effectively 
implement the use of medical checklists in health care settings. 
(4) 
Measurement of the effects of the use of medical checklists on patient safety 
and health outcomes, 
(5) 
Identification of health care procedures for which the development and use 
of medical checklists would be beneficial. 
(6) 
Investigation of the development, implementation, and use of available 
medical checklists, including checklists for safe surgery and central line 
insertion and maintenance, to inform further medical checklist development. 
Scope - The Secretary of Health shall ensure that each aspect of the research and 
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study conducted under subsection (A) is examined across a variety of health care provider 
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characteristics, medical procedures, patient populations, and other factors that could affect the 
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use of medical checklists, 
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(D) 
Dissemination - The DOH shall make available to the public the results of the 
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study conducted under subsection (A) through its website. 
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(E) 
Authorization of Appropriations - There are authorized to be appropriated to 
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carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2013 through 
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2017. 
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SECTION 4. Coordinating Medical Checklists and Health Information Technology 
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Systems.-
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(A) 
In General - The Secretary of Health shall develop policy recommendations 
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regarding the extent to which the use of medical checklists should be incorporated into health 
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information technology systems; and measures to determine the effectiveness of such use. 
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(B) 
Areas of Consideration - In making recommendations under subsection (A), the 
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Secretary may consider the following areas: 
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(1) 
The ease with which medical checklists in electronic formats can be used by 
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health care professionals. 
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(2) 
The effect of the availability of medical checklists in electronic formats on 
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the adoption and use of medical checklists by health care professionals. 
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(3) 
The effect of the use of medical checklists in electronic formats on the time 
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spent by health care professionals on medical procedures. 
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(4) 
The ability of the health information technology system to collect data on 
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patient safety and health outcomes that could be analyzed to aid in the 
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design and update of medical checklists. 
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(5) 
The ease with which medical checklists in electronic formats can be updated . 
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on an on-going basis based on evidence from medical research and local 
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experience. 
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(6) 
The capability of health information technology systems to collect data, 
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where applicable, regarding the use of medical checklists by health care 
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clinicians and providers, and any relation between that use and patient safety 
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and health outcomes.· 
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SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part thereof is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
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with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
Ifldp5aug2013 
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