LABORATORY services in 15 of the 16 hospitals operated by the Cebu Provincial Government now operate 24 hours a day. This expansion follows a province-wide push to comply with Department of Health (DOH) staffing requirements for medical technologists and laboratory aides.
Capitol Health Consultant Elisse Nicole Catalan said meeting these standards is critical for more than just compliance.
“DOH standards ensure that clinical laboratories have the appropriate number of qualified personnel to cover all shifts in 24 hours,” Catalan said in an interview on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026.
“Meeting these requirements means hospital staffing, skills, and deployment are aligned with national regulations for quality and safety.”
She said DOH licensing standards classify clinical laboratories as primary, secondary, or tertiary based on service capability and the types of tests performed, with higher-level laboratories requiring more advanced testing capacity and more qualified personnel.
Prerequisite
According to Catalan, sufficient staffing allows for faster, more reliable test results and uninterrupted availability during emergencies or disasters. Proper staffing levels are also a prerequisite for a valid DOH license to operate and Philhealth accreditation, she said.
“When a hospital meets DOH staffing requirements, there is assurance of quality and safety, especially for laboratory services, since work can be performed reliably, accurately, and within DOH regulatory standards,” Catalan said.
While most facilities have transitioned to a 24/7 schedule, Daanbantayan District Hospital remains the sole outlier, operating on an eight-hour daily schedule as it works to complete its medical technologist staffing.
The province’s four provincial hospitals and two island hospitals have met these requirements, according to provincial health officials. All Capitol-run district hospitals have complied except Daanbantayan District Hospital, which currently has four medical technologists but meets the required number of laboratory aides.
Staffing requirements by hospital type
The DOH sets specific quotas to ensure 24-hour viability: provincial hospitals: 19 MedTechs, five lab aides; island hospitals: nine MedTechs, three lab aides; and district hospitals: five MedTechs, three lab aides.
Hospital compliance status
While 15 facilities are operating 24/7, some are still in the process of reaching the “ideal” staffing numbers defined by the DOH.
Despite minor staffing gaps in some districts, the Provincial Health Office maintains that 15 facilities have sufficient personnel to sustain 24-hour operations safely. Recruitment remains ongoing for Daanbantayan to bring the entire province to full 24/7 coverage. / CDF