A l e x i e V i l l e g a s Z o t o m a y o r
“QUALITY care. Nothing
comes before that—bottom-line.”
This is Marianas Health
Services goal according to owner George Cruz as he stressed the need
for quality home care to homebound patients.
What began as a personal crusade for the Cruz couple seven years ago
turned out to be one of the dependable home care providers in the
community.
“We came back in February 2000 and we saw the need for home care
for homebound patients. Then it became personal. My mother in law
had a double stroke. We really saw how home care could be very useful
to the family because my mother in law was a recipient of it. With
home care, she regained her strength, not all of it though, but enough
to make her independent,” said Cruz.
Now fully owned by him and two other shareholders, MHS has been providing
quality health services to the community for the past seven years.
When asked if they have already made a dent in the community, Cruz
replied: “Only a small dent. We still have a long way to go.”
He said their main goal has been providing quality care to homebound
patients as a support to CHC, Public Health, and other physicians
in the CNMI in regards to consumptive care to patients.”
With MHS involved in organizations that help promote awareness of
diabetes and substance abuse, Cruz said, “We are very involved
in the community so that our mission is stressed,” said Cruz.
He added that in everything that they do, they want to make sure that
the community understands that quality home care is top priority.
He said, “We are here to make sure that the number of acute care
hospitalization is reduced; that is, reduce the number of times a
patient has to go back to the hospital.”
Meanwhile, quality assurance coordinator Gregg Fitial Omar talked
about the services that MHS offers to the community.
“Whatever the doctor prescribes, we do it,” said Fitial-Omar.
As a home healthcare provider, Fitial-Omar said, “We cater to
homebound patients,”
Fitial-Omar said that upon referral from the hospital or a physician,
MHS provides skilled nursing services, physical therapy, assistance
and training for self-care.
With trained professionals, MHS is equipped in providing wound care
assessment and monitoring, pain management, IV therapy, and health
and wellness teaching for patients suffering from diabetes, congestive
heart failure, chronic obstruct pulmonary disease, and dysphagia.
They also administer long-term Foley management, and other quality
care management.
Fitial-Omar also said they have a good, certified physical therapist
who does home safety evaluation, gait training, muscle and full body
strengthening and much, much more.
As for those patients requiring wound cleansing and dressing and bathing,
MHS has a home health aide available.
Given the many services that it offers, MHS employs a physical therapist,
three registered nurses, homehealth aide, and quality assurance officer
to administer the health services.
Fitial-Omar also reiterated that they do not act without a doctor’s
order. “There has to be a doctor’s referral. The doctor
sends the patients to us in a form of a referral. Whatever the doctor
requires us to do is in the referral form. So the doctor will give
referral form to his nurse and the latter will call us. We pick up
the referral form and we go to through what the doctor prescribes.
We then go and assess the patient if he or she meets the requirements
for homebound care.”
“If the patient is homebound, then we open the case,” says
Fitial-Omar.
She also said that once the case is opened, the nurse conducts an
entire assessment in regards to the patient’s illness, environment,
and other social problems that the patient might have.
Both Fitial-Omar and George Cruz encourage the public to inquire with
MHS anything about homecare. They both said that with their first
newsletter coming out soon, MHS can help in informing the community
more about caring for homebound patients.
Interested parties may call MHS at 233-4646 for more information regarding
homecare.
