What Is A Health Center?

What is a Health Center?
Health centers are community-based and patient-directed organizations that

deliver comprehensive, culturally competent, high-quality primary health
care services. Health centers also often integrate access to pharmacy,
mental health, substance use disorder, and oral health services in areas
where economic, geographic, or cultural barriers limit access to affordable
health care services. Health centers deliver care to the Nation’s most
vulnerable individuals and families, including people experiencing
homelessness, agricultural workers, residents of public housing, and the
Nation’s veterans.
Health Center Program fundamentals:
Deliver high quality, culturally competent, comprehensive primary care, as

well as supportive services such as health education, translation, and
transportation that promote access to health care.
Provide services regardless of patients’ ability to pay and charge for services
on a sliding fee scale.
Operate under the direction of patient-majority governing boards of

autonomous community-based organizations. These include public and
private non-profit organizations and tribal and faith-based organizations.
Develop systems of patient-centered and integrated care that respond to the

unique needs of diverse medically underserved areas and populations.
Meet requirements regarding administrative, clinical, and financial

operations.
How Health Centers Work
Health centers overcome geographic, cultural, linguistic, and other barriers

to care by delivering coordinated and comprehensive primary and preventive
services. This care reduces health disparities by emphasizing care
management of patients with multiple health care needs and the use of key
quality improvement practices, including health information technology.
Most health centers receive Health Center Program federal grant funding to
improve the health of underserved and vulnerable populations. Some health
centers receive funding to focus on special populations including individuals
and families experiencing homelessness, migratory and seasonal agricultural
workers, and residents of public housing. The majority of health center
operating funds come from Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, patient
fees, and other resources. Some health centers that meet all Health Center
Program requirements do not receive Federal award funding. These are
called Health Center Program look-alikes.
Health centers leverage a variety of other related programs. Health centers

that receive federal grant funding may gain access to medical malpractice
coverage under Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), and some receive federal
loan guarantees for capital improvements.
All health centers, including look-alikes, gain access to:
Federally Qualified Health Center Prospective Payment System

reimbursement for services to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries;
340B Drug Pricing Program discounts for pharmaceutical products;
Free vaccines for uninsured and underinsured children through the Vaccines
for Children Program; and,
Assistance in the recruitment and retention of primary care providers

through the National Health Service Corps.
GUIDELINES IN THE PLANNING AND DESIGN
OF A HOSPITAL AND OTHER HEALTH FACILITIES
A hospital and other health facilities shall be planned and designed to

observe appropriate architectural practices, to meet prescribed functional
programs, and to conform to applicable codes as part of normal professional
practice. References shall be made to the following:
• P. D. 1096 – National Building Code of the Philippines and Its Implementing

Rules and Regulations
• P. D. 1185 – Fire Code of the Philippines and Its Implementing Rules and
• P. D. 856 – Code on Sanitation of the Philippines and Its Implementing Rules
and Regulations
• B. P. 344 – Accessibility Law and Its Implementing Rules and Regulations
• R. A. 1378 – National Plumbing Code of the Philippines and Its

Implementing
Rules and Regulations
• R. A. 184 – Philippine Electrical Code
• Manual on Technical Guidelines for Hospitals and Health Facilities Planning

and Design. Department of Health, Manila. 1994
• Signage Systems Manual for Hospitals and Offices. Department of Health,

Manila. 1994
• Health Facilities Maintenance Manual. Department of Health, Manila. 1995
• Manual on Hospital Waste Management. Department of Health, Manila.

1997
• District Hospitals: Guidelines for Development. World Health Organization

Regional Publications, Western Pacific Series. 1992
• Guidelines for Construction and Equipment of Hospital and Medical

Facilities. American Institute of Architects, Committee on Architecture for
Health. 1992
• De Chiara, Joseph. Time-Saver Standards for Building Types. McGraw-Hill

Book Company. 1980
1 Environment: A hospital and other health facilities shall be so located that

it is readily
accessible to the community and reasonably free from undue noise, smoke,
dust, foul odor, flood, and shall not be located adjacent to railroads, freight
yards, children's playgrounds, airports, industrial plants, disposal plants.
2 Occupancy: A building designed for other purpose shall not be converted

into a
hospital. The location of a hospital shall comply with all local zoning
ordinances.
3 Safety: A hospital and other health facilities shall provide and maintain a
safe
environment for patients, personnel and public. The building shall be of such
construction so that no hazards to the life and safety of patients, personnel

and public
exist. It shall be capable of withstanding weight and elements to which they

may besubjected.
3.1 Exits shall be restricted to the following types: door leading directly
outside the building, interior stair, ramp, and exterior stair.
3.2 A minimum of two (2) exits, remote from each other, shall be provided
for each floor of the building.

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What is a Health Center?

Health centers are community-based and patient-directed organizations that

Health Center Program fundamentals:

Deliver high quality, culturally competent, comprehensive primary care, as

Operate under the direction of patient-majority governing boards of

Develop systems of patient-centered and integrated care that respond to the

Meet requirements regarding administrative, clinical, and financial

How Health Centers Work

Health centers overcome geographic, cultural, linguistic, and other barriers

Health centers leverage a variety of other related programs. Health centers

All health centers, including look-alikes, gain access to:

Federally Qualified Health Center Prospective Payment System

340B Drug Pricing Program discounts for pharmaceutical products;

Assistance in the recruitment and retention of primary care providers

GUIDELINES IN THE PLANNING AND DESIGN

OF A HOSPITAL AND OTHER HEALTH FACILITIES

A hospital and other health facilities shall be planned and designed to

• P. D. 1096 – National Building Code of the Philippines and Its Implementing

• B. P. 344 – Accessibility Law and Its Implementing Rules and Regulations

• R. A. 1378 – National Plumbing Code of the Philippines and Its

Rules and Regulations

• R. A. 184 – Philippine Electrical Code

• Manual on Technical Guidelines for Hospitals and Health Facilities Planning

• Signage Systems Manual for Hospitals and Offices. Department of Health,

• Health Facilities Maintenance Manual. Department of Health, Manila. 1995

• Manual on Hospital Waste Management. Department of Health, Manila.

• District Hospitals: Guidelines for Development. World Health Organization

• Guidelines for Construction and Equipment of Hospital and Medical

• De Chiara, Joseph. Time-Saver Standards for Building Types. McGraw-Hill

1 Environment: A hospital and other health facilities shall be so located that

2 Occupancy: A building designed for other purpose shall not be converted

construction so that no hazards to the life and safety of patients, personnel

exist. It shall be capable of withstanding weight and elements to which they

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