a. Ambulance Body – has appropriate markings and provides sufficient
space for patients, required personnel, and equipment;
b. Personnel – staffed by a qualified and trained team to ensure the effective
and efficient delivery of quality ambulance services;
c. Equipment, Medicines, and Supplies - equipped with the necessary
equipment, medicines, and supplies, along with a contingency plan for
potential equipment breakdowns or malfunctions;
d. Service Delivery - ensures services provided meet the quality standards
set in the ambulance licensing assessment tool, including documented
policies for standard operating procedures (SOP); and
e. Information Management - includes a system for communication,
documentation, and reporting on patients' conditions, in accordance with
the Electronic Commerce Act (R.A. 8792) and the Data Privacy Act
(R.A. 10173); and
f. Environmental Management- the ambulance is properly ventilated and
disinfected, and wastes, toxic, and hazardous substances are properly
disposed.
9.9 In the absence of the DOH-LTO, the assurance that vehicles marked
“AMBULANCE” operate with competent personnel and appropriate equipment
to respond to medical emergencies, provide quality care, and ensure patient safety
may not be fully attained.
9.10 This observation was communicated to Management through Audit Observation
Memorandum (AOM) No. 2025-08(24) dated April 10, 2025.
9.11 We recommended and Management agreed to secure the DOH-LTO for the
five vehicles marked with “AMBULANCE” otherwise, register them as
Patient Transport Vehicle (PTV) and change the labels accordingly pursuant
DOH AO No. 2018-001 dated January 28, 2018.
9.12 Management assured the audit team that the patient transport vehicles (PTVs) are
operating with competent personnel and appropriate equipment to respond to
medical emergency. Management has said that they have been vigorous in
correcting this shortcoming.
9.13 Moreover, the General Services Office were met with difficulty in locating
Certificate of Registration and donation documents of the PTVs, but is waiting for
approval of at least one ambulance.
66
