How to open a dialysis center in the Philippines

This guide is an orientation, not legal advice. The Department of Health (DOH) and PhilHealth set the rules and can change them, so confirm current requirements with them before you commit to a plan. We introduce healthcare organizations to suppliers; we are not a regulator and do not confirm anyone's compliance.

The rules that govern a dialysis clinic

Dialysis facilities in the Philippines are licensed by the DOH. The governing issuance is DOH Administrative Order No. 2012-0001, the New Rules and Regulations Governing the Licensure and Regulation of Dialysis Facilities in the Philippines. It applies to government and private hemodialysis clinics, whether hospital-based or not.

In short, a clinic needs a DOH License to Operate before it accepts patients. Published summaries of the order describe the license for a non-hospital-based clinic as valid for three years, with a renewal process and penalties, up to revocation, for violations. A separate DOH issuance, Administrative Order No. 2013-0003, sets guidelines for analyzing, monitoring, and maintaining the water used in dialysis facilities.

PhilHealth accreditation

Most centers plan around PhilHealth. Eligible patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease who are registered in the PhilHealth Dialysis Database can have up to 156 hemodialysis sessions a year covered. A facility that wants to be paid through PhilHealth needs PhilHealth accreditation on top of its DOH license. Our guide to the PhilHealth hemodialysis package covers the current rate and what it includes.

The medical team

Guides to the DOH rules describe a licensed nephrologist serving as medical director, dialysis nurses trained in hemodialysis, and staffing ratios that protect patient safety. Your medical team owns these decisions, and they are worth settling early because they shape how many stations you can responsibly run.

The equipment: machines, water treatment, and chairs

• Hemodialysis machines. One per treatment station, with a plan for maintenance. Make sure the model you choose is registered and acceptable under the rules that apply to you.
• Water treatment. Dialysis machines mix concentrates with large volumes of water, so centers typically install a reverse-osmosis (RO) system, and water quality is regulated. Size the system to your station count.
• Chairs and beds. Ordered alongside the machines they support.
• Backup power. Industry guides list a backup power supply as a requirement so that a treatment is never interrupted.

InnerZen Health introduces centers to supply partners for all of these. See dialysis center setup for how a coordinated request works.

Consumables: the recurring cost you can plan for

Once you are treating patients, consumables become a recurring line: dialyzers, bloodlines, concentrates, fistula needles, and the water and sanitation supplies that keep the system running. Sizing them to your machine count and treatment schedule before you open helps you avoid both stock-outs and over-ordering. You can see what a standard consumption sheet contains on our dialysis supplies page, or read the version written for centers about to open.

Choosing suppliers: what to ask for

• The supplier's FDA license to operate as a distributor.
• The FDA Certificate of Product Registration for each device, such as dialyzers, bloodlines, and machines.
• How products are stored and handled, and what happens to damaged or expired stock.
• The delivery schedule and how it flexes with your treatment volume.
• Who confirms specifications and pricing. InnerZen Health introduces; the supplier confirms.

Workstreams to plan

A checklist to take to your planning meeting. It is not a strict sequence: confirm with DOH and PhilHealth which steps must come first.

1. Read the DOH licensing order and confirm your clinic's classification with your DOH regional office.
2. Secure a site that fits your station count, ventilation, sanitation, water supply, and backup power.
3. Line up a nephrologist medical director and trained dialysis nurses.
4. Specify and source machines, RO water treatment, and chairs.
5. Apply for the DOH License to Operate.
6. Apply for PhilHealth accreditation.
7. Set up your consumables supply before the first treatment.

Sources and further reading

• DOH Administrative Order No. 2012-0001, New Rules and Regulations Governing the Licensure and Regulation of Dialysis Facilities in the Philippines (Supreme Court E-Library)
• Summary of DOH AO 2012-0001 (jur.ph)
• DOH AO 2013-0003, guidelines on water used in dialysis facilities (jur.ph)
• DOH Health Facilities and Services Regulatory Bureau: dialysis clinics
• PhilHealth: expanded hemodialysis benefits (March 27, 2025)
• Infinity Pharma: DOH and FDA requirements for dialysis centers

InnerZen Health facilitates business inquiries and introductions between organizations and relevant suppliers. Product availability, specifications, pricing, warranties, delivery, regulatory compliance, and contractual terms are subject to confirmation by the respective supplier. InnerZen Health does not provide medical advice or make clinical recommendations.