K.H.M.H. clarifies policies, faces past mistakes
It is an institution that figures frequently in this newscast and today is no exception. At a press conference this morning the people who manage the nation’s largest medical facility came front and centre to explain their plans and confront some recurring demons.
Dr. Alvaro Rosado, Chief Executive Officer, K.H.M.H.
?We welcome constructive criticism and we are prepared to own up to our own shortcomings and to demonstrate that the failure is not in falling but in failing to get up again.?
For more than a decade, the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital?s good deeds have been often overshadowed by a long list of unprofessional practices. In April 2001, it was the news that three patients had been infused with HIV tainted blood. More recently, heated negotiations between administration and neurosurgeons may have contributed to the death of baby girl. And even as the hospital tries to recover from that incident, there is confirmation tonight that medical chief of staff Dr. Curtis Samuels, on the job only seven months, has tendered his resignation.
Dr. Curtis Samuels, Medical Chief of Staff
?I can think of a whole lot of reasons but one of the major reasons is the timeframe that I have to work as a director of medical services. I am in the hospital fulfilling two roles. One as cardiologist, clinical cardiologist and the other as director of medical services from the very beginning I had mentioned that, and it became more clear as the months passed, the chief of staff is a full time position, it is not a part time position.?
Workload aside, Samuels is the third consecutive medical chief of staff to resign, following the footsteps of Dr. Francis Smith and Dr. Fernando Cuellar. While the public reasons for their decisions have been different, it has been privately suggested that the management style of the hospital?s Chief Executive Officer Alvaro Rosado might have something to do with the trend.
Dr. Alvaro Rosado
?I have had turnovers not very large, but of late there have been large turnovers. In fact the whole managing team is new. In I must say that there is not even one person of the original management team now. I have not to date heard anybody saying that there is problem with management style. I am not at all suggesting that I am the most popular person. I am not here for a popularity contest that is not my job. My job is to coordinate the activities of the hospital and I?ve been trying to do that. But to be very brief, I have never heard anybody say that they are leaving because of my management style or anything else having to do with how the hospital is run.?
The K.H.M.H. says it will begin to advertise the post of Medical Chief of Staff in the media next week. But Rosado does admit that there are other chronic ailments plaguing the hospital.
Dr. Alvaro Rosado
?We continue to have the situation where doctors might very innocently, sometimes not so innocently, stare people to the private sector. What we had do, and Dr. Samuels was the one who came up with it, was write a policy out which said you are not entitled to charge for any service. We went on to define what that service meant, service means: bandage, medicine or personal touch, whatever it is, you are not allowed to charge for that. And that policy is in place. We have suspended doctors for having violated the policy and we will continue to do so. But I can never guarantee that doctors will not do that.?
Today the administration also had to defend itself against allegations that patients without money are being denied medical care.
Cecil Knowles, Acting Director of Finance, K.H.M.H.
?Every patient is billed. We have to record revenues. However, no patient is turned back on ability to pay. There are two set of services that we have as fees for services and that is the private ward, but we also offer those services in the regular ward. The difference with the private ward is that you have your personal doctor and you have an individual room with better amenities than the regular ward. And you need to pay for those services up front. The other service is the higher-end imaging services that you need to pay for on request. Other than that all services are provided regardless of your ability to pay.?
Dr. Alvaro Rosado
?Internally we have tightened up everything. We ensure now that everybody that who is treated at K.H.M.H. gets a bill, and they are encouraged to pay. But we are not forcing anybody to pay and again nobody is denied any service if they are not able to pay.?
The medical institution says it has established a social assistance programme to help patients find finance for the treatment they need.
And while one of vital needs is a dialysis machine, according to Dr. Rosado the recent donation of one such device had to be turned down.
Dr. Alvaro Rosado
?K.H.M.H. admits to refusing this offer. Where as we believe that the K.H.M.H. should offer dialysis services we will not be lured into the same trap that befell us with the addition of neurosurgical services. At present we have neither the internal capacity nor the external support to offer dialysis services. To accept this donation merely because it is free would be a monumental mistake at this time.?
Dr. Curtis Samuels
?I personal have not lost the hope that we will be able to find finances from somewhere, from some fund or the other to be able to afford this service. Because as you all are aware hypertension and diabetes are major chronic non transmittable diseases in our country. And we all know that the end point of these diseases usually involves the kidneys.?
The resignation of Dr. Curtis Samuels as medical chief of staff at the K.H.M.H. takes effect at the end of the month. Dr. Samuels will continue to serve as a cardiologist at the hospital.
