By Pacific Island Times News Staff
Between fiscal years 2023 and 2023, Guam Memorial Hospital paid at a total $105.9 million to 168 physicians, some of whom received double compensations, according to Office of Public Accountability.
Of the 168 physicians, 136 were contracted, 14 were fulltime government of Guam employees and 18 were contracted and fulltime employees.
“The contracted physicians received a total of $78.6 million over the four fiscal years, while the 32 GG-1 physicians were paid a cumulative $27.3 million,” OPA said.
Of the 32 GG-1 physicians, 18 were paid both as contracted and GG-1 physicians,
totaling $19.2 million ($6.9M contracted, $12.3 million GG-1), while the remaining 14 received only GG-1 compensation, totaling $15.1 million.”
Under Guam law, recruitment for nurses and other health care professionals is exempted from the government’s central procurement rules.
OPA said the exemption has “historically been interpreted” as a greenlight for GMH to hire physicals under direct unclassified employment “contracts” or
“agreements.”
“As far as it can be ascertained, GMH has appointed physicians to unclassified
service for as long as they have existed.”
OPA said. “GMH is not aware that a request for proposal or other formal procurement procedures has ever been issued for physician services.
GMH is also routinely permitted under the budget law to hire and expend funds to pay unclassified doctors, nurses, and licensed health professionals.
While the OPA may not officially cite questionable costs, the audit highlighted serious deficiencies with compliance with the government’s hiring regulations.
Sen. Sabrina Salas Matanane, chair of the Health and Veterans Affairs Committee, raised concerns about the hospital’s compensation practice.
"It is outrageous that GMH is paying doctors both as hospital employees and as contracted physicians, essentially giving them two paychecks," she said.
“As we consider financial support for GMH, these findings give us a clearer picture of how the hospital has been handling its finances. Tough decisions must be made. Whether we like it or not, the hospital cannot continue to operate this way,” Matanane added.