Eastern Visayas Media Without Borders
Tacloban City– House Bill No. 1907 has recently filed by Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan seeking to mandate the creation of a Centralized Patient Record System (CPRS) in all municipalities and cities across the country to improve the continuity, quality, and efficiency of healthcare delivery.
The proposed Local Health Record System Act of 2025, every patient seen in barangay health centers, rural health units (RHUs), and other local primary care facilities would have a comprehensive, accessible, and secure medical record.
“In many underserved communities, a patient’s medical history often vanishes with each consultation,” Libanan said. “Our health workers do their best, but without a reliable record-keeping system, they’re often forced to work blindly.”
“A centralized record system will not only prevent misdiagnosis and medical duplication—it will also save lives by giving health professionals the full picture of a patient’s condition,” Libanan emphasized.
Libanan a lawyer by profession, also holds a degree in medical technology.
The said bill requires local governments to maintain a unified patient database that captures key information—including previous diagnoses, medications, treatments, and lab results—while upholding strict personal information privacy standards.
Libanan underscored how the CPRS would enable continuity of care, especially for indigent Filipinos whose access to consistent medical attention remains limited.
“By investing in grassroots health data, we empower our frontliners, improve decision-making, and bring our public health system into the digital age,” he pointed out.
“This is about fairness, access, and dignity in healthcare,” Libanan said. “Every Filipino, regardless of their income or location, deserves a documented medical history that follows them—not the other way around.”
Under the bill, every municipality or city will be tasked to develop and maintain the system within their RHUs or equivalent health facilities.
According to this Bill, the Department of Health (DOH) will provide the necessary technical guidelines, training, and financial assistance to ensure nationwide implementation within two years.
The CPRS will also enable health authorities to respond better to public health threats, monitor disease patterns, and plan targeted interventions—critical capabilities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and other emerging health risks.
The bill also includes provisions requiring public and private hospitals to share relevant patient records—at no cost for indigent patients—when requested by a local health facility for the purpose of follow-up care.
