Duque alerts hospitals against denying COVID-19-linked patients

Last updated on May 7th, 2021 at 06:12 am

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III warned hospitals on Monday against the rejection of patients linked to the novel coronavirus of 2019 (COVID-19).

Duque stated at the press briefing that announcement in “All Levels 2 and 3 hospitals are told not to deny patients suspected or diagnosed with COVID-19.

The failure to provide care to those patients shall be treated as a breach of the signed Quality Commitment and shall be dealt with by PhilHealth accordingly;

In line with this, Duque suggested that these hospitals designate triage areas for the screening of suspected COVID-19 patients Levels 2 and 3 of the hospitals that accommodate COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms.

COVID-19 patients will only be referred to DOH referral hospitals when their condition is serious and urgent, according to Duque.

Reference hospitals are the Tropical Medicine Research Institute, the Philippine Lung Center and the San Lazaro Hospital.

Duque advised the public not to stop hospitals taking part in COVID-19 cases, provided that certain steps have been observed.

He reminded the public that the hospitals have an infectious prevention and control system in place, and there is no need to avoid going to these hospitals, especially if you feel sick.

The DOH would reveal the names of the hospitals with COVID-19 patients only after consultation with the health facility in order to prevent fake news, Duque added.