MANILA – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is requiring the use of electronic medical records (EMR) as it expands its Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) to ensure safe, accurate and high-quality healthcare services for its members.
In a statement on Tuesday, the state insurer said the shift to digital records is a key component of the program, which aims to provide Filipinos with comprehensive and preventive care.
“To deliver on that promise, participating clinics and hospitals must use electronic medical records — so doctors can accurately track patient health history, avoid errors, and ensure continuity of care,” it said.
“These systems also protect the program from potential abuse, so its benefits reach those who truly need them,” it added.
PhilHealth noted that the requirement is not merely procedural but a key measure to ensure that every Filipino who visits a YAKAP clinic receives the quality care they deserve.
It explained that its provider payment model is designed to cover the operational costs of delivering care under YAKAP standards, including investments in digital infrastructure.
It said it is currently studying how these costs can be appropriately reflected to support healthcare providers during the transition.
Despite the shift, PhilHealth assured that no eligible member will lose access to YAKAP services as it continues to work with partner healthcare providers to ensure a smooth transition to EMR systems and uninterrupted service.
June-July rollout
PhilHealth said it is targeting June and July for the full transition to EMRs.
“Sa ngayon po, ang ating plano is by June, we will decommission the e-Konsulta and by July dapat po mayroon nang EMR record iyong ating, or EMR iyong ating mga accredited YAKAP clinics (Currently, our plan is by June, we will decommission the e-Konsulta and by July, there should be EMR record, or EMR already for accredited YAKAP clinics),” PhilHealth Primary Care Benefits Division chief Dr. Israel Francis Pargas said at a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview on Tuesday.
“Well, ang electronic medical records po, ibig sabihin lang po niyan, iyong lahat po ng ating record being a patient ay nandoon po sa isang sistema or sa isang electronic platform na kung saan at anytime puwede po natin siyang makuha at makita (Well, electronic medical records simply mean that all of our records as a patient are stored in one system or on an electronic platform, where they can be accessed and viewed anytime),” Pargas said.
He said the system is interoperable, allowing healthcare providers to track patient history efficiently and avoid errors or duplication in treatment.
The shift to EMR comes as PhilHealth expands YAKAP services beyond basic check-ups, medicines, and laboratory tests to include cancer screening and a broader list of medicines.
To support healthcare providers, Pargas explained that the agency is organizing an EMR expo to connect clinics, hospitals, and service providers, enabling transparency in pricing and system selection.
“We are now discussing this with our Department of Health, kung ano ang suporta na maaari nilang ibigay because sa ngayon po ang DOH ay mayroong ginagamit na EMR for the government facilities (What support they can provide, because at present the DOH is using an EMR for government facilities). We call it iClinic,” Pargas said.
He clarified that only about 400 private hospitals are currently accredited under YAKAP, countering reports that as many as 800 facilities could be affected by the EMR requirement.
He said PhilHealth remains open to discussions with healthcare groups, including the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc., to address concerns, he said.
While the June-July timeline will be followed, Pargas said transitional arrangements may be issued if some facilities fail to meet the deadline.
“PhilHealth will come out [with a] transitional guidelines in order to make sure na wala pong service provision na mapuputol (that no service provision will be cut),” he said.
According to the PhilHealth, the adoption of EMR is necessary as enrollment in the YAKAP program continues to grow, with around 25 million Filipinos already registered.
The state insurer does not directly subsidize EMR systems as the cost of digital infrastructure is already factored into payments to healthcare providers.
“Kasama po siya sa computation ng operational cost to make their operations more efficient (It is included in the computation of operational costs to make their operations more efficient),” Pargas said.
He assured that all accredited facilities already have some form of digital record system, with the transition focusing on replacing e-Konsulta with more robust EMR platforms.
He also encouraged Filipinos to enroll in YAKAP-accredited facilities to benefit from government’s campaign for preventive care. (PNA)