SPECIFIC GUIDELINES The fllwing regulatins are applicable t Filipin and freign nn-gvernment rganizatins and verseas medical grups intending t prvide health care services in underserved areas in the Philippines, where prfessinal services, ancillary prcedures, surgical interventins, and medicines are given at n cst t the patient (DOH Administrative Order N. 1 79, s.2001): - Spnsrs f freign medical and surgical missins must btain clearance frm the Office f the Secretary f Health, thrugh the Bureau f Internatinal Health Cperatin (BIHC), prir t the implementatin f the medical and surgical missin - Fr mnitring purpse, BIHC will ntify the lcal Centers fr Health Develpment f the cnduct f the medical missin in their areas f respnsibility - A freign medical and surgical missin can nly be cnducted in a given cmmunity with the expressed and written cnsent f the lcal gvernment unit and the lcal medical sciety - All medical and surgical prcedures t be emplyed must cnfrm t accepted lcal and internatinal standards - All medicines t be dispensed shuld have clearance frm the Bureau f Fd and Drugs as t safety and efficacy, and shall have an expiry date f n less than six (6) mnths. Medicines must be cvered by the Certificate f Prduct Registratin - A referral system t fllw up patients seen during the medical and surgical missin must be established by the spnsr and cllabrating rganizatin(s) - All cases seen during the medical/surgical missin must be dcumented and a summary reprt submitted t the Center fr Health Develpment within tw (2) weeks after the medical/surgical missin with the fllwing basic infrmatin: Number and age f cases seen; Diagnsis f patients; List f medicines distributed and f surgical interventins dne; and Endrsements t the necessary health facilities 1 / 5
- Freign physicians and health-related prfessinals are nt allwed t practice their prfessins in the Philippines withut a Special Permit issued by the Prfessinal Regulatin Cmmissin (PRC). Nte: Only freign physicians, whse cuntry grants reciprcity fr Philippine physicians t practice, may be granted Special Permits by the PRC. Presidential Decree N. 541 allws prfessinals wh were frmer citizens f the Philippines and wh have previusly passed licensure examinatins in the Philippines t practice their prfessin while in the cuntry n a visit, sjurn r permanent residence. The said frmer Filipin prfessinals must be practitiners f gd standing prir t their departure frm the Philippines and in their adpted cuntry. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS The fllwing dcuments will be required in requesting fr clearances r endrsements in cnnectin with freign medical missins: Applicatin letter t the Directr, BIHC-Department f Health, which cntains the fllwing infrmatin: - Type f missin (i.e., medical, surgical r bth); - Lcatin/venue f the missin: - Duratin and inclusive dates f the missin; and - Name f spnsr r lcal cunterpart(s), if any Imprtant: The applicatin letter with the supprting dcuments shuld be received by BIHC-DOH at least three (3) mnths befre the prpsed schedule f the missin. - List f the names f the medical and surgical team and credentials f each medical/paramedical member. The fllwing duly authenticated credentials f the members f 2 / 5
the medical team members must als be submitted: Tw cpies f passprt size phtgraph taken nt mre than three(3) mnths befre the filing f applicatin; Phtcpy f valid/current certificate f license t practice prfessin in their wn cuntry; and Dcuments attesting t the specialized studies, fields f specializatin r experiences (if any) - List f medicines (generic r brand names) and medical supplies that will be brught in r dnated by the medical team, with the crrespnding quantity, specificatin, and apprximate value; and - Endrsement f the lcal gvernment unit r an accredited prfessinal medical rganizatin. Nte: The riginal cpies f the dcuments in will need t be presented fr verificatin, unless the phtcpies are authenticated by cmpetent r legally authrized persns r fficers. The DOH will review the request and will cnsult with the Prfessinal Regulatin Cmmissin (PRC), the Bard f Medicine, the Philippine Medical Assciatin (PMA), and the Philippine Hspital Assciatin (PHA), whenever necessary. In certain cases, the DOH may recmmend alternative activities, lcatins, r arrangements t cincide with gvernment pririties. The head f the medical missin r the lcal spnsr/prject crdinatr will be infrmed, within tw(2) weeks after receipt f the request f either the apprval r disapprval f the request, and the reasn fr the decisin. DOH may als recmmend activities, tentative schedules, alternative sites/venues r arrangements, if any. The spnsr r lcal cunterpart is required t submit an exit/terminatin reprt after the cmpletin f the missin t the DOH thrugh the Reginal Directr cncerned. 3 / 5
SPECIAL PERMIT A freign physician and health-related prfessinal can nly practice his/her prfessin in the Philippines with a Special Permit frm the Prfessinal Regulatin Cmmissin. The fllwing dcuments are required by PRC fr the grant f Special Permit t freign physicians: - Letter frm the spnsring lcal assciatin, rganizatin r entity requesting the PRC and the cncerned Prfessinal Regulatry Bard fr the issuance f Special Permits t members f the Medical Missin fr a shrt perid (nt t exceed thirty days), indicating the specific municipality/city/prvince where the medical missin will he cnducted. - Endrsement frm the fllwing accredited prfessinal rganizatin, if the spnsring rganizatin is nt an accredited prfessinal rganizatin: Philippine Medical Assciatin; fr physicians Philippine Dental Assciatin; fr dentists Philippine Assciatin f Optmetrists; fr ptmetrists Philippine Nurses Assciatin; fr nurses - Endrsement f the Department f Health - Curriculum vitae f the members f the medical missin team duly authenticated by the Philippine Embassy r Cnsulate with jurisdictin - Current/valid licenses t practice their prfessin in their wn cuntry Applicatins fr release f Special Permits fr the cnduct f freign medical missins must be submitted t the Prfessinal Regulatin Cmmissin nt later than ninety (90) days befre the 4 / 5
prpsed medical missin. The PRC ntifies the spnsr f the medical misin f the apprved reslutin granting the issuance f Special Permit. PRC will charge a registratin fee f One Thusand Pess (P1, 000.00) fr each permit issued. Fr medicines, medical supplies, and medical equipment t be brught in by the medical missin team, please refer t the sectin n Overseas Dnatins. REFERENCES Guidelines Fr Granting Permits T Freign Dctrs Cnducting Medical Missins Spnsred By Lcal Private Organizatin, Reslutin N. 06, s. 1991 f the Bard f Medicine. Plicies and Guidelines in the Cnduct f Lcal and Freign Medical and Surgical Missins, Administrative Order N. 179, s. 2001, Department f Health. Presidential Decree N. 541, Allwing Frmer Filipin Prfessinals t Practice their Respective Prfessins in the Philippines. 5 / 5