DPH eyes creation of board to hear patients’ complaints

A mechanism that will carefully look into the grievances and complaints of patients including problems with health service providers is currently being worked on by health officials.

The Department of Public Health is also mapping out plans that will include the formation of a team of hearing officers who will be tasked to conduct processes involving patients’ Bill of Rights.

Health Secretary Kevin Villagomez disclosed the program is in efforts to beef up medical services in compliance with the recommendations made by the Medicaid inspection team that arrived two weeks ago.

Apart from the creation of the mechanism and policies, the health department is also working on the regulations and formulation of training programs to improve skills and techniques of health personnel.

Mr. Villagomez said DPH already began the process which will strictly review the program including the policies and regulations of other states and US territories that implemented the same program.

“We are identifying regulations, and working on the procedures including those of other states, we are trying to identify which of these regulations can be incorporated to DPH’s policies,” the health secretary explained.

The patients’ Bill of Rights will determine the scope of health department’s responsibilities and obligations including the parameters of complaints and sanctions to be meted out.

The inspection team likewise recommended to the department the much needed improvement of hospital facilities and to address manpower deficit including experts on medicine.

The secretary admitted that DPH has been trying to lure even local residents to fill in hospital positions but an extensive experience on these vacancies is very much needed to address the demands of the medical field.

Aside from the hiring of a plant engineer, improvements on the hemodialysis facility of the Commonwealth Health Center, and the scheduled meeting with forensic experts in Honolulu next month, the department is also working on the hiring of an anesthesiologist, physician and radiologist.

He said all these are in line with the continued effort of the health department to improve health services and to respond to the needs of Northern Marianas residents. (EGA)