Caracterização e concepções de saúde de estudantes universitários que vivem em uma residência estudantil / Caracterización y concepciones de salud de estudiantes universitarios que viven en una residencia de estudiantes / Characterization and health conceptions of university students who live in a student residence

Objetivo:identificar o perfil e a concepção de saúde dos estudantes universitários residentes na casa do estudante. Método: estudo qualitativo do qual participaram 20 estudantes de uma residência universitária, sendo os dados analisados através da análise temática. Resultados: os estudantes apresentaram seus conceitos de saúde, adoecimento, cuidados adotados e acesso a serviços de saúde, havendo uma pluralidade nesses conceitos, sendo que cada um compreende de uma maneira diferente. Os universitários referiram já terem vivenciado o adoecimento em algum período do ano, devido ao estresse gerado pela demanda excessiva ou pelas características climáticas. Assim, procuraram práticas alternativas e automedicação para auxiliar no processo do cuidado. Conclusões:é necessário refletir sobre as demandas dos universitários, visando melhorar o atendimento e o acolhimento desses, para que possam atingir seu potencial máximo na vida acadêmica.

Objective: to identify the health profile and conception of university students residing in the student's home. Method: qualitative study in which 20 students from a university residence participated, the data being analyzed through thematic analysis. Results: the students presented their concepts of health, illness, care adopted and access to health services, with a plurality of these concepts, and each one understands it in a different way. The university students reported having already experienced illness at some time of the year, due to the stress generated by excessive demand or weather conditions. Thus, they sought alternative practices and self-medication to assist in the care process. Conclusions: it is necessary to reflect on the demands of university students, aiming to improve their care and reception, so that they can reach their maximum potential in academic life.

Objetivo: identificar el perfil y la concepción de salud de los universitarios residentes en el domicilio del estudiante. Método: estudio cualitativo en el que participaron 20 estudiantes de una residencia universitaria, y los datos fueron analizados a través del análisis temático. Resultados: los estudiantes presentaron sus conceptos de salud, enfermedad, cuidados adoptados y acceso a los servicios de salud, con una pluralidad de estos conceptos, y cada uno lo entiende de forma diferente. Los universitarios relataron haber padecido ya la enfermedad en alguna época del año, debido al estrés generado por el exceso de demanda o por las características climáticas. Por lo tanto, buscaron prácticas alternativas y de automedicación para ayudar en el proceso de atención. Conclusiones: es necesario reflexionar sobre las demandas de los estudiantes universitarios, con el objetivo de mejorar su atención y acogida, para que puedan alcanzar su máximo potencial en la vida académica.

Health care financial support for patients needing medical assistance in Southern Philippines Medical Center: Policy notes

@#Accessing health care services can lead to a significant financial burden on patients, especially when an episode of illness necessitates out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures.1 Apart from health improvement, an essential function of health care systems is to provide financial protection for individuals against the costs associated with illness.2 The establishment of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has emerged as a crucial step towards achieving the goal of universal health care for individuals in need of medical services.3 Since the passage of the Universal Health Care Act in 2019, all Filipinos have been automatically enrolled in PhilHealth for social health risk protection. In 2021, PhilHealth covered health care utilization claims amounting to over Php 88 billion.4 PhilHealth coverage is usually not sufficient to fund the entire hospital expense in a single episode of illness. Meanwhile, the creation of other government health care financing schemes helps alleviate the financial burden of patients. Through the enactment of the Republic Act (RA) 11463, also known as the Malasakit Centers Act, patients may now seek financial aid from a unified assistance hub to settle outstanding health care expenses not covered by PhilHealth. The Malasakit Centers Act mandates the establishment of one-stop shops for medical and financial assistance. This one-stop shop consists of representatives from the Department of Health (DOH), PhilHealth, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).5 This article aims to recommend health care policies to improve the existing health financing mechanisms currently sought by patients to cover their medical expenses during an episode of illness.

Governance in primary care systems: Experiences and lessons from urban, rural, and remote settings in the Philippines

Methods@#Data on governance issues were obtained from participant observation and regular meetings facilitated over one year. Conducted across urban, rural, and remote settings, the present study outlines experience-near insights throughout a hierarchy of system implementers—from those in positions of authority to frontline workers. These insights were thematically analyzed and organized following the Health System Dynamics Framework.@*Results@#This study identified six governance challenges: 1) establishing a health information system; 2) engaging leaders, healthcare staff, and communities; 3) assuring efficient financing; 4) assuring health workforce sufficiency; 5) addressing legal challenges; and 6) planning evaluation and monitoring. To address these challenges, this study forwards systemic solutions to advance effective governance and improve healthcare performance.@*Conclusion@#A renewed approach to strengthening primary care systems is fundamental to achieving universal healthcare. This entails good governance that develops strategies, equips people with tools for proper implementation, and provides data for evidence-based policies. The experiences outlined in the present study envisions guiding policymakers toward improving health outcomes in a devolved setting.

Documentos psicológicos: um estudo comparativo das resoluções CFP n. º 006/2019 e CFP n. º 007/2003 / Psychological documents: a comparative study of resolutions CFP n. º 06/2019 and CFP n. º 07/2003 / Documentos psicológicos: un estudio comparativo entre las resoluciones CFP n. º 006/2019 y CFP n. º 007/2003

As resoluções emitidas pelo Sistema Conselhos são instrumentos essenciais de orientação e promoção de práticas éticas que denotem qualidade técnica no exercício profissional da Psicologia. Dada a complexidade que envolve a elaboração de documentos psicológicos, esta pesquisa teve como objetivo identificar as principais mudanças observadas no texto da recém-publicada Resolução CFP n.º 006/2019 quando comparada à Resolução CFP n.º 007/2003, ambas referidas à elaboração de documentos psicológicos. Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva-comparativa de abordagem qualitativa, que utilizou da análise de conteúdo no tratamento e interpretação dos dados oriundos de fonte exclusivamente documental. Os resultados indicaram poucas diferenças qualitativas entre os marcos resolutivos, embora se vislumbre altamente relevante o ganho adquirido com a proibição de escritos descritivos, a exigência de referencial teórico para fundamentar o raciocínio profissional e a obrigatoriedade da devolutiva documental. Entre os achados que ganham notoriedade consta a preocupação com os princípios que regem a elaboração de documentos, cuja apresentação tautológica responde a um cenário político de retrocessos que tem favorecido o desrespeito aos direitos humanos e às minorias.(AU)

Resolutions issued by Sistema Conselhos are essential tools to guide and promote ethical and quality psychology practices. Given the complexity involved in elaborating such documents, this descriptive, qualitative research outlines the main changes in the text of the recently published CFP Resolution no. 006/2019 when compared with CFP Resolution no. 007/2003, both addressing the elaboration of psychological documents. Documentary data was investigated by content analysis. Results indicated few qualitative differences between the analyzed Resolutions, among them the prohibition of descriptive writing, the requirement for a theoretical framework to support professional reasoning, and the obligation to return documents. Concern with the principles that guide document elaboration stands out, responding to a political scenario of major setbacks regarding respect for human rights and minorities.(AU)

Las resoluciones que expide el Sistema Conselhos consisten en instrumentos fundamentales que guían y promueven prácticas éticas respecto a la calidad técnica en el ejercicio profesional de la Psicología. Dada la complejidad que implica la elaboración de documentos psicológicos, esta investigación tuvo como objetivo identificar los principales cambios observados en la Resolución CFP n.º 006/2019, de reciente publicación, en comparación con la Resolución CFP n.º 007/2003, ambas abordan la elaboración de documentos psicológicos. Se trata de una investigación descriptiva-comparativa con enfoque cualitativo, que utilizó el análisis de contenido en el tratamiento e interpretación de datos de fuente exclusivamente documental. Los resultados indicaron pocas diferencias cualitativas entre los marcos resolutivos (aunque el logro de prohibir los escritos descriptivos es muy relevante), la exigencia de un marco teórico para sostener el razonamiento profesional y la devolución obligatoria de los documentos. Entre los hallazgos que cobran notoriedad está la preocupación por los principios que rigen la elaboración de documentos, cuya presentación tautológica responde a un escenario político de retrocesos que ha favorecido la falta de respeto a los derechos humanos y las minorías.(AU)

Building capacities for universal health care in the Philippines: Development and implementation of a leadership training program for public health nurses

@#Achievement of Universal Health Care (UHC) in the Philippines requires capable health workers who can navigate changes and lead in the local implementation of health system reforms. Public health nurses are in a strategic position to lead in UHC implementation as they constitute the largest cadre of health workers in the public health setting, and core concepts of UHC intersect with principles of public health nursing practice. This paper aims to describe the development and implementation of a leadership training program for public health nurses in the Philippines, in response to UHC. Document reviews of training reports and evaluations, including course site data analytics, and evaluation of the training program were done for the four cohorts of the course. The University of the Philippines Manila College of Nursing, with support from the Department of Health, responded to the increased demand of the Philippine health system for public health nurses with strong foundations and advanced skills by designing and offering a leadership development course specific to PHNs. From November 2019 to March 2022, a total of 183 participants from 17 regions completed the training. With the COVID-19 pandemic and dynamic changes in governance, the experiences of the project highlighted the need for flexibility in delivering the training program, updating module contents according to the latest developments, and improving course duration and evaluation. Barriers to course engagement and completion must be addressed for PHNs, their workplaces, clients, and the health system to benefit the most from the training.

Primary care services in the UHC: Cost identification study

Background@#In order to financially sustain the participation of the private sector in the UHC, there is a need to find reasonable balance of accountability in the costing of health services. The costing must be based on actual resources used from the perspective of the private health service provider. @*Objective@#The objective of this paper was to determine the cost of primary care services from the framework of the UHC reform in the private sector.@*Method@#This is a multi-method approach to cost-identification in establishing and providing primary care health service in the UHC. The approaches used by the authors included review of published literature, laws and policies from DOH and other regulatory agencies. From this review, they develop the minimum facility requirement for basic primary care facility and primary care facility with ancillary services. They used the actual expenditures of existing primary care clinics, 2021 quotations from equipment and supplies companies, published construction rates and consensus approach to establish the cost. Based on 2021 value of Philippine Peso, they estimated the cost of constructing and operating a primary care facility.@*Results@#The total estimated cost of building a primary health care facility based on the DOH licensing standard was estimated to be around PhP2,490,000. The cost of furniture and equipment as required in the DOH AO was PhP474,685. Thus, the total cost of the construction and equipment for a basic primary care facility setup is PhP2,964,685. We estimated the annual operating cost with the building estimated to depreciate in 20 years and the furniture and equipment in 5 years, the annualized cost for the building is PhP124,500 and for the furniture and equipment PhP94,937. The total annual salary of the staff based on government standards was PhP2,381,962. The maintenance, operating and overhead expenses (MOOE) which included water and electricity, repair and maintenance, waste disposal, supplies and other fees was PhP451,190. The total annual operating cost of a basic primary care facility is PhP3,052,590. This facility can provide basic services such as outpatient consultation and minor surgeries. Using the same approach for the basic facility, the total annual operating cost of a basic primary care facility with ancillary service is PhP11,023,670. This facility can provide outpatient consultation, minor surgeries and primary care services such as health education and preventive care plus the ancillary services like pharmacy, clinical laboratory and x-ray. For patients with diabetes, the total annual cost is PhP8,986. The significant cost driver is the clinical assessment and non-pharmacologic intervention. The researchers found the same cost pattern for the annual cost care of patients with hypertension but with a slightly higher annual total with PhP9,963. Their sensitivity analysis based on inflation, construction, equipment and operating expense may increase these cost estimates by 20% in the next 5 years. @*Conclusion@#Based on their findings, the current per capita support from PHIC Konsulta package is not adequate in the private sector both for wellness and care of patients with chronic condition. PHIC needs to consider adjusting per capita rates and consider case rate payment as it is currently doing for hospital care. Without this proposed adjustment, only those patients in the higher socioeconomic status will be capable of consulting the private sector. This scenario defeats the equity issue that is a primary concern in the UHC.

Attitudes and perceptions of Filipino family physicians toward the Universal Health Care Act

Background@#Family physicians are at the forefront of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act as primary care providers, and their attitudes and perceptions of the law can affect its implementation. These must be explored so that adequate organizational support can be provided to its members.@*Objective@#This study describes the family physicians’ attitudes and perceptions towards UHC. It also determined if the attitudes and perceptions of family physicians are associated with the types of membership and their year of graduation from family medicine residency training.@*Methods@#A cross-sectional study was conducted among active members of the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians (PAFP) during workshops held between January to February 2020. The PAFP UHC survey was employed to members who were purposively sampled during the workshops. The attitudes and perceptions of family physicians were summarized through frequencies and percentages, while the relationship of selected variables to physicians’ attitudes and perceptions were determined through a chi-square test.@*Results@#A total of 195 family physicians from the three provinces and one city responded to the survey questionnaire. All (100%) participants reported a positive attitude toward their current practice, but this optimistic attitude slightly decreased to 85.4% regarding UHC. The perceptions of family physicians towards UHC practice are generally positive. Most have a realistic view on the comprehensiveness of service coverage (55.33%) and are agreeable to certification (84.62%) and accreditation by network (64.81%). Majority (82.17%) also have positive perception toward the future practice of family physicians. The year of graduation from training was found to be associated with their perception of the future practice of family physicians (p-value 0.048), and those with the older age group are more likely to report a negative perception.@*Conclusion@#PAFP members’ attitudes and perceptions towards UHC are mostly positive. Majority of respondents are positive about the inclusive PHIC membership, comprehensive service coverage, certification and accreditation, and the future of medical practice upon the implementation of UHC. The negative attitudes and perceptions of some members may be due to various factors related to the individual or to the processes of implementation and operationalization of the UHC law.

The impact of public health interventions in a developing nation: an overview

Introduction: Around 80% of factors that determine population health sit outside the control of health services. It is essential we influence these factors in addition to those within the remit of health services in order to improve and protect the health of population in a developing country. Public health functions encompass working across the domains that constitute population health systems with various partners. The objective of this article is to give an overview of public health interventions that can improve the health of the population of a developing nation. Method: A descriptive study, based on a review of the literature of key public health frameworks and interventions that are likely to have significant impacts on population health. Some selected public health interventions and case studies are highlighted to illustrate the importance of priority areas in developing countries. Results: Various public health frameworks recognise the importance of wider determinants of health (socio-economic factors), effective healthcare, healthy behaviours, working with communities as critical to securing population health. Another framework adopts a life-course model of intervention starting from public health interventions during preconception period and childhood, adolescence, working life and older age. For many developing countries, the author identified some examples of priority areas for interventions such as stopping and preventing wars; improving child health, including free school meals; achieving universal healthcare through integrated primary health care; addressing commercial determinants of health; embracing new technologies; and measuring and monitoring population health. Conclusion: In order to improve the health of a population in a developing country, attention needs to go beyond health services to influence the wider determinants of health, health behaviours and adopting the World Health Organisation's roadmap on essential public health functions.

Assistência ao suicídio e agressividade no serviço de atendimento móvel de urgência / Assistance to suicide and aggression in the mobile emergency care service / Asistencia al suicidio y agresión en el servicio móvil de urgencias

Objetivo: Investigar fatores associados aos atendimentos realizados por serviço de atendimento móvel de urgência a comportamento agressivo e comportamento suicida ocorridos em 2014 em um município brasileiro. Método: Estudo quantitativo, retrospectivo e documental. Os dados foram extraídos de fichas de atendimento de enfermagem e analisados por estatística descritiva, testes de associação, análise de covariância e regressão logística múltipla. Resultados: Foram analisadas 627 fichas nas quais predominaram homens adultos, com comportamento agressivo, na própria residência e que foram transportados para algum serviço de saúde. O comportamento agressivo foi mais comum entre homens e teve mais sinais e sintomas documentados e menos tempo de espera pelo atendimento. O comportamento suicida teve mais avaliação de sinais vitais, mais realização de procedimentos e encaminhamento para serviço de saúde. Conclusões: Tais associações revelam características importantes para a organização e planejamento de intervenções para o cuidado às urgências, prevenção da violência e qualificação de recursos humanos para assistência. (AU)

Objective: To investigate factors associated with calls made by a mobile emergency care service to aggressive behavior and suicidal behavior that occurred in 2014 in a Brazilian municipality. Methods: Quantitative, retrospective and documentary study. Data were extracted from nursing care records and analyzed using descriptive statistics, association tests, covariance analysis and multiple logistic regression. Results: 627 records were analyzed, in which adult men, with aggressive behavior, predominated in their own homes and were transported to a health service. Aggressive behavior was more common among men and had more documented signs and symptoms and less waiting time for care. Suicidal behavior had more evaluation of vital signs, more procedures and referral to health services. Conclusion: Such associations reveal important characteristics for the organization and planning of interventions for emergency care, prevention of violence and qualification of human resources for assistance. (AU)

Objetivo: Investigar los factores asociados a las llamadas realizadas por un servicio móvil de atención de emergencia a conductas agresivas y suicidas ocurridas en 2014 en un municipio brasileño. Métodos: Estudio cuantitativo, retrospectivo y documental. Los datos se extrajeron de los registros de atención de enfermería y se analizaron mediante estadística descriptiva, pruebas de asociación, análisis de covarianza y regresión logística múltiple. Resultados: Se analizaron 627 expedientes, en los que predominaron hombres adultos, con comportamiento agresivo, en sus propios domicilios y fueron trasladados a algún servicio de salud. El comportamiento agresivo era más común entre los hombres y tenía signos y síntomas más documentados y menos tiempo de espera para recibir atención. La conducta suicida tuvo más evaluación de signos vitales, más procedimientos y derivación a servicios de salud. Conclusion: Tales asociaciones revelan características importantes para la organización y planificación de intervenciones de atención de emergencia, prevención de la violencia y calificación de los recursos humanos para la atención. (AU)

Primary health care in the age of advanced technology and modern medicine: Perspectives of future Filipino doctors / The Health Sciences Journal

INTRODUCTION@#In a healthcare system that has been specialty-centric for decades, the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act would try to refocus on primary health care (PHC) to better navigate the entire healthcare delivery system of the country. This paper determined the perception of clinical clerks on the relevance of UHC and PHC on the practice of medicine in the Philippines.@*METHODS@#Clinical clerks rotating in Community Medicine were surveyed and focus group discussions were conducted to elicit the viewpoints of the students. Thematic analysis of the responses was subsequently performed. @*RESULTS@#Majority of the 247 student-respondents viewed UHC and primary health care (PHC) as relevant, however, some did not see the need to shift the focus of care from a specialty-centric orientation to that of a PHC approach. Medical students still dream of becoming specialists, and the idea of general medicine practice was not very popular among them. There were negative perceptions on essential healthcare at the community setting, given the inadequacy of medical facilities and technology, medications, and healthcare services in the locality. @*CONCLUSION@#Sociopolitical factors remained important determinants of health, which often resulted in service delivery inequities, making access to health difficult for the marginalized and indigent. Given the efforts of the government to champion UHC amid the advances in modern medicine often localized in urban areas in the country, PHC was viewed to be relevant albeit not a priority for future Filipino doctors.

Mecanismos de ingresso de dentistas no SUS: uma agenda prioritária para o fortalecimento do Brasil Sorridente / Admission of dentist in Brazilian Universal Health System (SUS): a priority agenda for the strengthening of Smiling Brazil

Resumo Este artigo objetiva i) descrever e analisar a expansão do provimento de dentistas no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS); ii) identificar e analisar as características do vínculo trabalhista dos dentistas com o serviço; iii) caracterizar as vagas em concurso público, no que se refere aos requisitos, atribuições e remuneração. Neste estudo de caso, descritivo, foram consultados bancos de dados do Ministério da Saúde e editais de concurso público. Os achados apontam que 48% dos dentistas cadastrados no Cadastro Nacional dos Estabelecimentos de Saúde (CNES) realizam atendimento no SUS, em 13 anos observou-se um aumento de 118% dos municípios com equipes de saúde bucal (eSB) implantadas. A cobertura populacional estimada pelas eSB aumentou 10,46% entre os anos de 2007 e 2015. O principal mecanismo de ingresso nos Centros de Especialidades Odontológicas (CEO) foi o concurso público. O salário na atenção primária variou de 1,05 a 12,67 salários mínimos, para cargos de 40 horas semanais e nos CEOs de 3,35 a 7,05. Conclui-se que é necessário, entre outras medidas, o planejamento de estratégias voltadas aos recursos humanos em saúde. A continuidade dos êxitos alcançados demanda que medidas regulatórias dos contratos de trabalho e apoio aos gestores entrem na agenda das ações da política em saúde bucal.

Abstract This article aims at: i) describing and analyzing the expansion of dental care in the Unified Health System (SUS); ii) Identifying and analyzing the characteristics of hiring dentists' in the public service; iii) characterizing public vacancies, their duties and remuneration. In this descriptive case study, databases of the Ministry of Health were consulted and public tender notices. The findings indicate that 48% of the dentists enrolled in the National Registry of Health Establishments (CNES) perform care in the SUS, in 13 years there was an increase of 118% of the municipalities with oral health teams (eSB) implanted. The population coverage estimated by eSB increased by 10.46% between the years 2007 and 2015. The main mechanism for joining the Dental Specialties Centers (CEO) was the public tender. Primary care salaries ranged from 1.05 to 12.67 Brazilian minimum wages, to 40-hour weekly jobs, and to CEOs from 3.35 to 7.05. It is concluded that, among other measures, the planning of HRH strategies is necessary. The continuity of successes regulatory measures of labor contracts and support to local managers enter the agenda of priority actions of oral health policy.

Identifying possible gaps and gray areas in the draft Universal Health Care Act implementing rules and regulations: A thematic analysis of a roundtable event on local health systems

Background@#The Universal Health Care (UHC) Act is a landmark legislation that seeks to improve provision of comprehensive health services through the integration of local health systems. The Department of Health (DOH) conducted a series of roundtable discussions to gather stakeholders' inputs and concerns to refine the initial draft of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of UHC. @*Methods@#On April 4, 2019, the Department of Health led a roundtable discussion on the Local Health Systems sections of the UHC IRR in collaboration with University of the Philippines Manila. A total of 65 stakeholders from different sectors participated in a semi-structured roundtable event. The proceedings were audio recorded and transcribed. A thematic analysis was done using NVivo 12 software to document gaps and gray areas identified by the participants. @*Results@#Concerns of the participants revolved around the following: role of the private sector in local health systems; the integration of different municipal and other component health systems into a province-wide health system; organizational design of the health systems; pooling and utilization of the Special Health Fund (SHF). Gaps andgray areas were concentrated on the transfer of personnel and other health resources to the province-wide system, the composition of the Provincial Health Board, and the utilization and management of the SHF. @*Conclusion@#The roundtable event acquired various perspectives from stakeholders that could help the DOH identify priority action points that could be resolved at the agency level. The identified themes from the study analysis could be of value to decision makers to clarify issues, address policy gaps, and to prioritize future research directions.

Towards universal quality health care through an independent accreditation agency: A review

Background@#Guaranteeing quality of health care services is part of the objectives of Republic Act No. 11223 or the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act of 2019. In assuring that quality services are delivered by health care providers, they must be accredited to participate in the National Health Insurance Program. The UHC Act mandates the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to recognize third party mechanisms as basis of granting incentives for health facilities that deliver services of higher quality. This review aimed to identify lessons and experiences from literature that can be adopted and contextualized in the Philippine setting, for strategic policies on strengthening the national health facility accreditation system. @*Methods@#A systematic review of literature was conducted to generate evidence-based recommendations from discussions on cross country experiences and local government initiatives towards improved accreditation system. @*Results@#By virtue of the UHC Act, a form of strategic purchasing is further institutionalized through a rating system that incentivizes health facilities that provide better services in terms of quality, efficiency, and equity. It is imperative to consider the country’s previous and current gaps and challenges in accreditation and adopt the best practices of other countries, as appropriate to Philippine's local settings. A tool is proposed in creating a national hospital accreditation system using the domains of leadership and governance, financing and sustainability, standards development, program management, and continuing quality improvement. @*Conclusion and Recommendations@#With the legitimacy of third party accreditation body mandated by the UHC Act, operationalization of the prescribed mechanisms and organizational structure must enjoin all pertinent stakeholders and be supported by sustainable funds and technical assistance by the government.

Addressing primary care inequities in underserved areas of the Philippines: A review

@#Background. Inequities in health care exist in the Philippines due to various modifiable and non-modifiable determinants. Through the years, different interventions were undertaken by the government and various stakeholders to address these inequities in primary care. However, inequities still continue to persist. The enactment of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act aims to ensure that every Filipino will have equitable access to comprehensive and quality health care services by strengthening primary care. As a step towards UHC, the government endeavors to guarantee equity by prioritizing assistance and support to underserved areas in the country. This paper aims to review different interventions to promote equity in the underserved areas that could aid in needs assessment. @*Methods@#A search through PUBMED and Google Scholar was conducted using the keywords, “inequity,” “primary care” and “Philippines.” The search yielded more than 10,000 articles which were further filtered to publication date, relevance to the topic, and credibility of source. A total of 58 full-text records were included in the review. @*Results and Discussion@#In the Philippines, inequities in primary care exist in the context of health programs, facilities, human health resources, finances, and training. These were recognized by various stakeholders, from government and private sector, and nongovernment organizations, taking actions to address inequities, applying different strategies and approaches but with a shared goal of improving primary care. On another end, social accountability must also be instilled among Filipinos to address identified social and behavioral barriers in seeking primary care. With political commitment, improvement in primary care towards health equity can be achieved.@*Conclusion and Recommendation@#To address inequities in primary care, there is a need to ensure adequate human resources for health, facilities, supplies such as medications, vaccination, clean water, and sources of funds. Moreover, regular conduct of training on healthcare services and delivery are needed. These will capacitate health workers and government leaders with continuous advancement in knowledge and skills, to be effective providers of primary care. Institutionalizing advocacy in equity through policies in healthcare provision would help realize the aims of the Universal Health Care Act.

Moving towards evidence-informed policy development on third party accreditation of healthcare facilities in Light of the Universal Health Care Act: Policy analysis

Background@#The Universal Health Care (UHC) Act seeks to delineate the roles of key agencies and stakeholders towards equity in access to quality and affordable health care. Under the pillar of health regulation, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation is mandated to recognize third party accreditation mechanisms as a basis for granting incentives to health facilities that provide better service quality, efficiency, and equity. @*Methods@#A systematic review of literature was conducted to generate a policy brief that outlined the strengths and weaknesses of the current accreditation system, and how to address arising fragmentation issues in implementation based on international and local evidence. To generate recommendations from a multi-stakeholder approach, a roundtable discussion enjoined by all major stakeholders of the policy issue was conducted by the University of the Philippines Manila Health Policy Development Hub in collaboration with the Department of Health. Thematic analysis of the RTD and the literature review were utilized in crafting the position statement with the general aim of producing consensus policy recommendations, as inputs in the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Act. @*Results@#Policy analysis using results of literature review and policy discussion was crafted, with thematically arranged recommendations in the domains of leadership and governance, financing and sustainability, standards development, program development, and continuing quality improvement that could help the national health system in determining third party accreditation mechanisms set forth by the UHC Act. Significant issues raised was the composition and requirements of the third party accreditor and the risks in transition. @*Conclusion and Recommendation@#With the PhilHealth Benchbook setting the standards and with the expressed commitment of stakeholders for third party accreditation, it is an opportune time for the UHC Act to institutionalize the accreditation mechanisms that will address existing challenges of PhilHealth accreditation. The literature review and discussion bring forth the proposed tool for the criteria in selecting third party accreditors.

Rationalizing health personnel financing schemes for evidence-informed policy reforms: Policy analysis

Background@#The Universal Health Care Law seeks to optimize financing of personnel costs without compromising quality and equitable health care among the health care facilities. This position statement aimed to identify strategies and policy recommendations for the cost-effective financing of health personnel in public healthcare facilities. @*Methods@#A systematic review of literature was done to generate policy brief and key points for roundtable discussion in collaboration with the Department of Health (DOH). The discussion was guided by the three health financing options of DOH: (a) retain Personnel Services (PS) as DOH budget but shift Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) to PhilHealth; (b) shift PS and MOOE to PhilHealth, and (c) rationalize part-time status in government hospitals. @*Results@#The pros and cons of financing options were cross-examined. In Option 1, physicians in government hospitals would receive fixed salaries from DOH / Local Government Units. In Option 2, there would be a monopsony between PhilHealth and provincial power. Payment will be performance-driven, and balance billing will be eliminated. Option 3 would be a set up of retaining part-time positions for physicians. @*Conclusion and Recommendation@#Participants deduced that for Option 1, provision of salary augmentation sources and ensuring adequate plantilla items and level of remuneration in government hospitals should be considered, in order to sufficiently compete with physicians’ income from private practice. For Option 2, the PhilHealth reimbursement system should ensure timely reimbursement so as not to subject care providers to financial instabilities. For Option 3, rationalizing part-time status should be flexible and can be applied regardless of how physicians are paid, as this would incentivize caregivers to work harder and smarter.

A call for an evidence-informed criteria selection to guide equitable health investments in the era of Universal Health Care: Policy analysis

Background@#The passage of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act in the Philippines in early 2019 intensified the need to ensure equitable health investments by the government. Exploring the different criteria and indicators that are used to determine areas that are most in need of health services can help local and national health authorities determine priorities for health investments given finite resources. @*Methods@#A systematic review of literature on determinants of health equity and other indicators was conducted as pre-work to generate discussion points to the roundtable discussion participated by all major key stakeholders. Shared insights and expertise were thematically analyzed to produce a policy paper with consensus policy recommendations. @*Results@#Based on the review of the literature and the discussion, indicators (mainly physical inaccessibility and socioeconomic factors) for identifying Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) in DOH Administrative Order 185, s. 2004 is used to prioritize municipalities for health investments. Review of other policies and guidelines to determine the level of health needs and prioritizing investments yielded to four laddered domains: geographic, population characteristics (e.g., social and cultural determinants of access), health system (e.g., health service delivery), and health status. These domains may provide a more equitable set of metrics for health investment. The Local Investment Plan for Health (LIPH) is the current process used for health-related investments at the local level and may be revised to be more responsive to the requirements set by the UHC Act 2018. Hot spotting to concentrate health services by communities may be a more rapid approach to investment planning for health. Bed capacity as a specific metric in the UHC Act 2018 highlights the need for a review of the Hospital Licensure Act 2004. @*Conclusion and Recommendations@#To aid in determining priorities for health investments, a comprehensive integrated analysis of resources, determinants, and indicators should be done to determine the need and the gaps in the available resources. Innovative strategies can also be best implemented such as mathematical models or formulas. Lastly, current strategies in the development, monitoring, and evaluation of investment planning for health at different levels should be strengthened, expanded, and harmonized with other existing development plans.

Primary care orientation of family practice in the Philippines: Cross-sectional study in pilot sites

Background@#Universal Health Care law calls for strong primary care where essential services are responsive to the health needs of individuals, families, and communities. Similar to other countries, family physicians are the biggest workforce in primary care, but little is known about the kind of care that they provide. This study aimed to determine the process of care rendered by family physicians in the country to assess their readiness in implementing the standards of primary care services according to the Universal Health Care law.@*Methods@#Cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire that includes 6 key elements of UHC was conducted to family physicians participating in the pilot project of the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians practice networks. Process of care is part of the big data collected in the survey. The process of care variables was analyzed using descriptive statistics.@*Results@#There were 195 family physicians who completed the survey. There were about 14.87% from Luzon, 18.46% from NCR, 27.18% from the Visayas, and 39.49% from Mindanao. Overall, the participants provide comprehensive, coordinated, and continuing care. Few utilized electronic medical records (9%). Preventive services provided are immunization (82.05%), alcohol and smoking cessation (77.44%), nutrition advice (76.92%), and exercise prescription (73.33%). @*Conclusion@#Family physicians in the pilot sites provide comprehensive, coordinated, and continuing care. The majority also offer common preventive services such as immunization, smoking cessation, nutrition advice, and exercise prescription. Some process needed for UHC needs improvement such as the use of EMR and quality assurance activities.

Readiness of family practice clinics to reforms in universal health care

Background@#Primary care providers must evaluate their facilities and determine their capacity to comply with the requirements of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act.@*Objective@#This study describes the facility profiles of PAFP members in terms of the UHC requirements for licensing, certification and accreditation of health facilities.@*Methods@#A cross-sectional study was conducted in four cities using the PAFP UHC Readiness survey. The study population included active members of PAFP who voluntarily answered the survey during workshops held between January to February 2020@*Results@#A total of 195 family physicians participated. Most of them work in hospital facilities (49.40%), while others have solo practice (27.38%), or are in group practice (20.24%). Most (69.61%) of the facilities have PHIC accreditation and SEC or DTI registration (74.47%). The availability of structures, equipment and pharmacies vary across the cities. Only half of the facilities have information technologies for clinical records (54.36%) or management (59.49%). Similarly, there are facilities which lack human resource personnel and only 54.10% of the facilities are networked with other facilities. The facilities’ revenues are mostly from fee-for-service (60%) and the cost of payments widely vary among the areas. Most of the facilities are managed financially by the owner and the income of the facility is the main source of capital for investment@*Conclusion@#Family physicians have existing structures and systems in their facilities but improvements on information technologies and networking are needed. They should also ensure affordability of care to patients while ensuring sustainability of facility operations