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Medical referral not affected by GMH denial of accreditation
The CNMI’s medical referral patients won’t be affected by Guam Memorial Hospital losing its accreditation from The Joint Commission, which issued the denial that took effect last Monday.
“This doesn’t affect our patients who may be medically referred to GMH. They are still able to receive care there [GMH],” Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. public information officer Sami Brimingham-Babauta told Saipan Tribune.
The administration, in a statement sent to Saipan Tribune, said it was disappointing news that GMH lost its accreditation but the CNMI’s medical referral patients remains one of its priorities.
“GMH has been a vital healthcare partner for our medical referral patients [in] Guam and it’s collectively understood that the news is disappointing. While it is our hope that the ongoing discussions on Guam lead to a proper resolution for GMH, our medical referral program will continue to prioritize the needs of our patients,” read the statement.
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres has also met with Guam officials to let medical referral patients get the healthcare that they need.
“The governor has taken on the issue of medical referral personally and has made great strides in discussions with Guam officials to expand access to referral options for the CNMI beyond Guam,” the statement added.
“We will monitor this as it moves forward, but remain cognizant of the need for further action on our part to protect our patients.”
TJC is a U.S.-based nonprofit tax-exempt organization that assesses if healthcare organizations and its programs are within the standards they set. They then issue accreditation of all the 50 states and five territories.
Guam Memorial Hospital Authority Board of Trustees vice chair Lillian Perez-Posadas and secretary Melissa Waibel made the announcement of TJC’s denial of accreditation.
The denial, per their final review and appeal committee, was based on a for-cause survey last Aug. 8 and 9, 2017 and an on-site validation survey on Jan. 4 and 5 of this year.
The denial of accreditation would mean GMH would lose millions of dollars from the bills they charge to patients under Medicare, the national health insurance program.
