YAKAP Accreditation Requirements: Complete Checklist for Clinics (2026)

Thinking about getting your clinic accredited for YAKAP? The process is straightforward, but there are specific requirements you need to meet before PhilHealth approves your application. Miss one, and you're back to square one.

This is the complete checklist. Physical setup, documents, and the new technology requirements for 2026. Print it out, go through it, and check off each item before you apply.

Physical Requirements

Your clinic needs to meet PhilHealth's facility standards. These aren't arbitrary. They're designed around patient safety and a basic standard of care.

Here's what your clinic needs:

• Clean, sanitary environment throughout the facility
• Adequate lighting in all patient areas
• Reliable electric supply (backup power is a plus, but not required)
• Clean water supply accessible within the clinic
• Patient seating area in the waiting room
• Consultation area with privacy (walls or partitions, not an open desk in a hallway)
• Separate examination area distinct from the consultation space
• Functional toilet accessible to patients
• Entrance and exit signage clearly visible
• Fire safety compliance (fire extinguisher at minimum; check your local fire marshal requirements)
• Non-slippery floors in all areas where patients walk

Most clinics already meet these standards. The ones that trip people up are the separate examination area (your consult room and exam area need to be distinct spaces) and fire safety compliance. If you haven't renewed your fire safety certificate, do that first.

Documentation Requirements

This is where the paperwork begins. Gather everything before starting your application so you don't get stuck waiting on one missing document.

• Provider Data Record (PDR) filled out completely
• Notarized Performance Commitment (PC) signed by the clinic owner/physician
• Accreditation fee of P1,000 (paid to PhilHealth)
• Updated DOH/FDA license (must be current, not expired)
• List of physicians practicing at the clinic with their PRC licenses
• Current business permit (required for private clinics)
• Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) submitted to PhilHealth

The SAT is a self-evaluation form where you rate your clinic against PhilHealth's standards. You can download it directly from PhilHealth: SAT_YAKAP.pdf.

Fill it out honestly. PhilHealth uses this to assess your readiness, and they may conduct an on-site validation visit. If your SAT says "excellent" but your clinic tells a different story, that's a problem.

Technology Requirements (New for 2026)

This is the big change. Starting 2026, YAKAP clinics must use a PhilHealth-certified EMR system. No more paper-based submissions or workarounds.

• PhilHealth-certified EMR system (mandatory for all YAKAP clinics)
• Internet connectivity between 25-100 Mbps (stable enough for cloud-based submissions)
• Engagement with a Certified EMR Service Provider (you must formally register with your chosen provider)

The EMR mandate exists because PhilHealth wants electronic data submission for all YAKAP transactions: First Patient Encounters, consultations, lab results, and prescriptions. Paper encoding is going away.

If you're already using an EMR, check whether it's PhilHealth-certified for YAKAP. If it's not certified, you'll need to switch to one that is. SeriousMD holds Certificate No. KON-13-01-2026-00002 for YAKAP API v1.1.

For clinics still using paper records or eKonsulta (which shuts down July 2026), now is the time to choose a certified EMR. The earlier you switch, the smoother the transition.

Application Timing

Initial accreditation: You can apply anytime during the year. There's no enrollment window for first-time applicants.

Renewal: October 1 through the last working day of December. Mark your calendar. Miss the window and your accreditation lapses.

Already a Konsulta provider? If your clinic was previously accredited under the Konsulta program (YAKAP's predecessor), you were automatically transitioned to YAKAP. No need to reapply. Your existing accreditation carried over.

You can check whether your clinic is on the current accredited list on the PhilHealth accredited YAKAP facilities page.

The Step-by-Step Process

Once you've confirmed everything above, here's how the application actually works:

1. Complete the SAT and review your scores honestly
2. Prepare all documents (PDR, notarized PC, licenses, business permit, physician list)
3. Submit your application to your nearest PhilHealth Regional Office (PRO)
4. Pay the P1,000 accreditation fee
5. Wait for PhilHealth's assessment (they may schedule a validation visit)
6. Receive your accreditation if approved
7. Register with a Certified EMR Service Provider and set up your system

The turnaround time varies by region, so start early. Some PROs process applications faster than others.