Over 400 medical records trapped inside IMC

The Island Medical Center says that there are over 400 medical health results trapped inside the clinic and rendered inaccessible due to IMC’s suspension status.

Island Medical Center owner Antony Glad said that since the Department of Public Health, suspended the clinic on March 4, he has been receiving numerous phone calls from people following up on their health results and medical charts.

“I keep getting phone calls everyday and I really don’t know what to tell them,” Glad said.

He shared that one of his major concerns are patients with medical prescriptions.

The IMC doctor, Dr. Christine Brown, “cannot write out prescriptions for those patients who need prescription refills because their medical records are trapped in there,” said Glad.

Another concern are patients waiting for medical test results to obtain treatment and nonresident workers who are not able to work until they get their alien health results squared away.

“If the government is really interested in the welfare of the people, they should create some kind of management so that the flow of these results can go smoothly while they conduct their investigation, Glad said.

He said that not only is he losing money during this ordeal, but “these people have already paid for their medical and they should have access to them.”

He said some patients have called, saying they are not able to work or process their entry permits as they lack their health results.

“One guy called recently, saying he wanted to go home but because his health results is the last pending documentation pending at Labor, he cannot,” Glad said.

“They [Department of Public Health] are concerned about the health results of 40 or 50 people, but what about the rest of the other 400? And if one person made the mistake, why shut down the whole clinic and withhold the results? Their lives are at stake,” Glad said.

Since the suspension of his clinic, Glad said that no government official tasked with the IMC investigation has told him or his management team how to go about the pending health results and medical records.

“Until we open the clinic, they are inaccessible and are just sitting in there,” Glad said.

He said he had not been able to go inside his clinic to conduct his own investigation.

Glad said there are a total of 33,000 medical charts inside the clinic.

According to Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez, “It is important that those individuals that normally receive their medical care at IMC get continued care at either CHC or any of the private clinics to ensure continuity of care.”

For those facing pressing health issues, they must be addressed now “rather than to wait for the reopening of IMC,” he added.

DPH officials involved with the IMC investigation are scheduled to meet today to address the issues surrounding the suspension of IMC.

The IMC in Susupe, operated by the Micronesian Health Corp., was closed down by the Department of Public Health due to alleged noncompliance with rules and regulations. The immediate suspension of the IMC started March 4, 2008 at 3:20pm.

Reacting to concerns raised by Philippine Consulate General Wilfredo Maximo, Glad said that Maximo “should worry about the situation of those Filipino workers who worked for IMC, if they are getting paid or who is taking care of them” during this ordeal.

He added that the consulate should also be concerned about those individuals who are not able to obtain their alien health results and are not able to process their entry permits to work.

“Instead, he [Maximo] is concerned that I should be cautious with what I say. Right now, they [nonresident workers] are in limbo and many of them don’t know what to do next,” Glad said.

Maximo had taken issue with a statement made by Glad during an interview that aired on KSPN 2 where he said, “It is typical of the Filipinos…when they have problems…they [dis]appear and leave for some reasons.”

Maximo said that Glad’s remark was a slur on all Filipinos on the islands. “We take issue with your issuing a sweeping statement on the character of all Filipinos on the basis of this one employee, regardless of whether or not he is eventually found to have committed a crime.”

The Philippine Consulate General characterized Glad’s interview with KSPN 2 as disparaging against Filipinos.