CHCC admits filling orthopedic doctor post may take some time

While the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. has been successful in hiring more doctors for the Commonwealth Health Center, there remains a challenge to fill the orthopedic surgeon position after it was disclosed that the arrival of the prospective candidate could take some time.

Interim CEO Esther Muña told the board Thursday that the candidate who has been chosen to fill the post is still working on his papers in order to be able to work at the public hospital.

Muña did not disclose the name of the candidate but said the physician was recruited from off-island through the J-1 visa.

“We’re doing pretty good [in the recruitment] and the only issue we have now is the orthopedic surgeon,” Muña told the board.

She disclosed that the candidate’s J-1 visa was initially rejected by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

“He’s spending his own money now basically to hire lawyers in the U.S. for the J-1 visa that was rejected,” she said, adding that the physician has asked that his waiver be transferred to the CNMI so he could start working for the hospital.

For other vacant positions, Muña said she has been getting several inquiries and referrals for doctors’ positions. In fact, she said, CHC expects to get one internal medicine physician soon, to bring the IM doctors’ count to five.

By summer, the pediatric department is expected to have six doctors from the current four.

The general surgery department, she disclosed, now has two doctors while an anesthesiologist is expected to be hired soon. This, she said, is a replacement position.

According to Muña, the corporation is implementing a “consistent and centralized” recruitment for all positions where each and every application is thoroughly reviewed, including checking of references and police records.

She also cited the important function of the credentials committee in determining the right candidate for medical positions.

At the meeting, trustee Philip Mendiola-Long asked the board to seek a legal opinion regarding the board’s participation in the credentialing of staff.

In reviewing Public Law 16-51, which created the corporation and its board, Mendiola-Long expressed concern about the mandates of the law that requires the advisory board’s “oversight” over the credentialing staff.

“What step in the process do we need to get involved in credentialing staff? Is it after or before the signing of contract?” he asked.

Trustee Anthony Raho said that “credentialing is a hospital function” and that it must take ownership of that. He said the role of the board is only an “oversight of the credentialing process” to ensure that policies and procedures are in place.