BORONGAN CITY – House of Representatives Minority Leader Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan is urging the national government to establish a secure patient information sharing system to improve health outcomes and patient safety.
“There’s no question that a patient information sharing system among healthcare providers can lead to faster diagnosis and treatment, especially in emergency cases, and reduce the risk of life-threatening medical errors,” Libanan said.
Libanan, a 4Ps party-list representative, called on the Department of Health to begin developing the system with adequate privacy safeguards.
“Despite being a lawyer by profession, I also hold a bachelor’s degree in medical technology, which involves the application of science to diagnose, treat, and prevent health problems,” Libanan noted.
“We live in a world of increased mobility. Individuals can have a sudden medical emergency anywhere, while their digital or physical medical records are somewhere else,” he pointed out.
“Anyone can have a heart attack or be involved in a road accident at any time and be rushed to the nearest hospital. Medical practitioners at that hospital should be able to quickly access the individual’s health history through a system,” Libanan added.
Libanan assured that fears of potential data privacy violations are unfounded, citing Chapter 3, Section 13(e) of the Data Privacy Law of 2012, or Republic Act No. 10173. This provision allows the processing of sensitive personal information for medical treatment when carried out by a medical practitioner or medical treatment institution.
“The law underscores the need for privileged information to be effectively protected against unwanted privacy intrusions,” Libanan emphasized.
In conclusion, Libanan stated that a patient information sharing mechanism “can bring about a very efficient and highly responsive healthcare system for all.”
