SOUTH COTABATO – The South Cotabato Provincial Hospital (SCPH) has started offering the PhilHealth Outpatient Emergency Care Benefit (OECB), expanding access to emergency medical services for South Cotabateños who require immediate treatment but do not need hospital confinement.
According to Dr. Anna Marie Tuburan, Outpatient Department (OPD) Chief of SCPH, the OECB is a new PhilHealth benefit intended for patients with emergency cases who do not require hospital admission or who can already be discharged within 24 hours after receiving emergency treatment.
“The program is for patients with emergency cases but don’t need to be admitted or need to be discharged after 24 hours,” Tuburan explained.
She added that the hospital is continuously polishing the implementation of the benefit to make the process easier and more convenient for patients seeking emergency care.
Tuburan also emphasized that the Emergency Department and the Outpatient Department are working hand in hand in implementing the program since emergency cases are initially managed in the Emergency Room before appropriate outpatient services are provided.
She further clarified that the services covered under the OECB, including emergency consultations, laboratory procedures, prescribed medicines, and other emergency interventions, are covered by PhilHealth, significantly reducing the financial burden on patients.
Patients who are not yet enrolled in PhilHealth may also immediately access the benefit through the hospital’s Point of Service (POS) facility.
Tuburan also encouraged residents to register under the YAKAP program to maximize the available healthcare benefits.
“Ang SCPH YAKAP provider na since 2022, so gina encourage ko gid ang aton mga pasyente nga magpa-register na sa YAKAP since may ara kita packages nga pwede ninyo makuha,” she said.
Meanwhile, Hanah Naanep, PhilHealth SOCSKSARGEN Public Information Officer, said the OECB package allows eligible patients to receive emergency consultations, diagnostic laboratory services, prescribed medicines, and other emergency interventions in the hospital’s outpatient emergency department without being admitted.
“The implementation of the OECB follows a pilot testing phase conducted from April to May this year, allowing SCPH to assess and further improve the program before its full implementation,” Naanep explained.
PhilHealth said the program is expected to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses while ensuring that patients with urgent but non-life-threatening conditions receive timely healthcare.
The OECB also helps decongest hospital wards by allowing patients who do not require admission to receive appropriate emergency care on an outpatient basis.
To avail of the benefit, PhilHealth members, or individuals who will register through the hospital’s Point of Service (POS) program, must present:
- One valid government-issued identification card;
- Birth certificate; and
- For married applicants, a marriage certificate to facilitate processing.
The rollout of the PhilHealth Outpatient Emergency Care Benefit at SCPH adds another layer of financial protection for patients by ensuring that emergency consultations, laboratory procedures, and medicines are covered even without hospital admission.
SCPH encouraged residents experiencing sudden illnesses or medical emergencies that do not require confinement to immediately seek medical attention at the provincial hospital and take advantage of the newly available PhilHealth benefit, further advancing the province’s goal of providing accessible, patient-centered, and quality healthcare for every South Cotabateño.
