It was said that excessive political interference is a big problem at the Department of Public Health. It was also said that the recent exodus of physicians from the Commonwealth Health Center can be attributed to a number of reasons including: uncompetitive salaries in the CNMI, and the poor treatment that physicians often receive when they arrive here (i.e., they aren’t paid on time, their contract terms change, there are no offers of hospitality or orientation to help them make the transition into living in the CNMI, etc.).
It was said that the director of the CNMI’s public hospital should never be a political appointee. All that should matter is that the hospital administrator is knowledgeable about healthcare and a competent manager.
Finally, it was said that the CNMI must invest more in preventive care programs to address the chronic and preventable diseases that are afflicting the community.
The recent mass departure of our doctors and other healthcare professionals has been alarming. I’m sure we have not yet seen the last doctor leave. I have also heard too many horror stories from too many people over the years and especially in recent months about the quality of healthcare they or their loved ones have received at the Commonwealth Health Center, to think that these are isolated incidents.
As with CUC, as with any failing agency, my sense is that the root of the problem at our CHC is and has been mismanagement. As with CUC, oversight hearings and independent audits, followed by decisive action to remove incompetent or corrupt individuals, are needed for CHC at this time.
And just like we need some visionary thinking when it comes to energy, so do we need some visionary thinking when it comes to healthcare. I have heard from doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who have said that chronic and preventable diseases such as diabetes are costing us dearly – not only in terms of healthcare resources, but more importantly in terms of our quality of life. I think most of us have personally experienced these costs, either in our own health, or in the health of our loved ones.
Preventive care – including creative and effective public education programs that reach everyone from children to adults – should be seen as an investment in our community and our future, not an expense.
Read up on some of the discussions that occurred here:
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