By Pacific Island Times News Staff
Guam Memorial Hospital on Thursday disputed the Office of Public Accountability’s findings that some physicians have received double payments, dismissing the audit report as“incorrect” and “misleading.”
“We assure our patients and stakeholders that we take and will take necessary steps to maintain trust and integrity in our operations,” said Lilian Perez-Posadas, GMH administrator.
According to OPA’s report released this week, 18 physicians fully employed at GMH were also paid as contractors with a total of $19.2 million in compensation
($6.9 million in contract payments and $12.3 million in government salary.)
Of the 168 physicians working at GMH, 136 were contracted, 14 were fulltime government employees and 18 were contracted and fulltime employees.
GMH denied claims of double payments, explaining that physicians are compensated based on their diverse roles and responsibilities, which are aligned with industry standards.
For the current fiscal year, GMH said its $232 million budget allocates
only about 12 percent to 13 percent to contracted physician pay—a percentage consistent with national averages validated by the Medical Group Management Association.
Hospital officials also noted that the OPA’s audit period covered the pandemic years when GMH was a designated Covid-19 facility. Under an executive order, physicians and essential employees directly interacting with patients received a mandated 25 percent pay differential.
GMH said the OPA report contained “inaccuracies and shortcomings,” such as the auditors’ alleged failure to meet government auditing standards.
Hospital officials also noted discrepancies between the financial figures audited in the report and the official information provided by GMH.
GMH rejected the OPA’s recommendation for another layer of approvals for
hiring, saying the hospital administration already abides by all legal requirements and that requiring additional signatures would result in unnecessary bureaucracy, increasing costs for taxpayers.
GMH said it has made staffing advancements including increased physician and specialty staffing and efficient use of physician groups.
“GMHA prioritizes increased medical and physician staffing, including telemedicine services for critical departments like the adult Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Room,” GMH said. “For services such as radiology and surgery, GMH contracts with physician groups to enhance coverage and efficiency.”
GMH stressed that the costs of operating a hospital—especially with a global physician shortage and rising healthcare demands—are significant.
These costs may even appear to some to be expensive.
"However, these challenges will not deter the hospital’s commitment to delivering high-quality care," GMH said.
Subscribe to
our digital
monthly edition
Comments