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Crisis at CHC
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Posted on May 15 2009
It is well documented that there is a current significant shortage of physicians at the Commonwealth Health Center. The term crisis is often overused, but after reading the article in the May 13 Saipan Tribune about CHC losing another doctor, the only word that comes to my mind is what is going on? It is a crisis! Why can’t CHC keep their doctors? Why are we short of five internal doctors? Why are there no nephrologists? His salary was going to be reduced by 20 percent and he left. Diabetes is widespread in the CNMI, and now we have no kidney doctor. Why is there no cardiologist or heart doctor? It’s been years since we had a heart doctor at CHC. We are losing good doctors and CHC is ridiculously understaffed and the few remaining doctors are overworked and underpaid.
I was treated at the Emergency Room last Friday, and after being discharged, I was told to make an appointment to see an internist on Monday. When I tried to make an appointment, I was told to try again in June. No doctors were available. The few remaining doctors were fully booked. The CNMI’s only surgeon was on vacation earlier this month and we had no surgeon on island during that period. That’s a crisis.
We need to make a commitment to do everything possible to recruit suitable doctors to the CNMI right now. In my opinion, it is the most critical issue in the CNMI. The Medical Referral Office spends millions of dollars every year sending patients off island for treatment. Let’s spend some of that money to pay the doctors that are recruited a descent salary so that they stick around a while. Hire the specialists we require. I urge everyone to talk to the governor, the Legislature and hospital administrator. The crisis at CHC is a time bomb waiting to explode.
[I][B]Beatrice Borja Peredo Troup[/B] San Vicente, Saipan[/I]
