Babauta: No one has been fired since the corporation’s takeover

Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. chief executive officer Juan N. Babauta has clarified that the restructuring currently being implemented at the former Department of Public Health will not affect staff of the Commonwealth Health Center. Rather, it would zero in on streamlining divisions and units.

Since the organization’s takeover in October, Babauta said that no one has been laid off or whose contracts were not renewed. He estimates that the corporation’s personnel count at over 600.

“Since we took over, we have not ordered anyone to stop working.because we’re not targeting individuals here. We are targeting the system, looking at every division and units [where we can save for the hospital],” Babauta told Saipan Tribune in an earlier interview at his office.

Babauta disclosed that among the divisions they are currently assessing is the hospital’s dental clinic, where only public school students mostly benefit.

He said the dental service is 100 percent funded by local appropriation amounting to close to $700,000 a year. Because the service primarily used by Public School System students, the corporation only receives a minimal amount for supplies. The rest, he said, is subsidized by the local budget.

“What we’re getting for the dental supplies is not even close to what we spend [for its operation]. So we’re looking at the possible advantages if we will send these PSS kids to private dental clinics,” Babauta told Saipan Tribune.

Although the issue is being discussed, no decision has been finalized yet. “We’re looking at our dental service very carefully, but we’re not expecting to make a decision soon on this,” he said.

Once a decision is reached, Babauta said the corporation will relay its decision to PSS.

Besides privatizing some services at the hospital, Babauta said he will also establish standard policies and procedures for corporation personnel.

“One of the things that was very apparent on Day 1 is the lack of policies and procedures at all levels. We need to adapt a unified personnel system for everyone to follow,” he said.

The corporation will also develop an evaluation form for employees’ performance assessment. “This way, each employee knows what their responsibilities are and what they should accomplish within the day,” he said, adding the policies will play an important role in terms of determining the capability of its personnel in accordance with the kind of workforce the hospital really needs.