Section 6Sec./Art. 6

Malasakit Centers. There shall be established a Malasakit Center in all DOH hospitals and the PGH which shall:

(a) Serve as a one-stop shop for medical and financial assistance;

(b) Provide patient navigation and referral to the health care provider networks;

(c) Provide information with regard to membership, coverage and benefit packages in the National Health Insurance Program;

(d) Document, process, and utilize data from patient experience through a standardized form to shape institutional changes in the hospital;

(e) Provide capacity-building and performance evaluation to ensure good client interaction; and

(f) Provide critical information on healthy behaviors and conduct health promotion activities in the hospital.

There shall be a special lane in each Malasakit Center for the exclusive use of senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

The Malasakit Centers shall be non-partisan, convenient, free of charge, accessible, and shall have a standard system of availment of assistance.

The local government units (LGUs), state universities and colleges (SUCs), Department of National Defense (DND), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) including the Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Justice (DOJ) and other public hospitals may establish Malasakit Centers: Provided, That said hospitals meet the following standards and criteria:

(1) Guarantee the availability of funds for the operations of the Malasakit Centers, including its maintenance and other operating expenses, personnel complement including staff training, performance assessment and monitoring;

(2) Ensure the adoption of the integrated people-centered health services; and

(3) Comply with other requirements to be prescribed by the DOH regarding service capacity and capability, location, among others.

Public hospitals with existing Malasakit Centers shall comply with the abovementioned standards and criteria. The DOH may augment Malasakit Centers personnel in other pub he hospitals subject to standards and criteria to be set by the DOH.