THE Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. “looks forward to fruitful partnerships” as it continues to help the islands’ medical referral patients, CHCC Public Information Officer Guillermo Lifoifoi said.
CHCC was responding to the concerns of some local patients regarding the transfer of the medical referral office from the Office of the Governor to the autonomous healthcare corporation.
Some of the patients are being provided healthcare services by Kang Dong Orthopedic Hospital in Busan, South Korea, which signed a contract with the medical referral office in 2017, and they want to know if their current arrangement with the hospital will be affected.
Kang Dong Orthopedic Hospital specializes in joints, spine, and other diseases that may require orthopedic surgery.
In an email interview, Lifoifoi said, “We are working with our medical referral partners to come up with mutually beneficial agreements that will provide the residents of the CNMI comprehensive health services beyond our shores. We look forward to fruitful partnerships.”
For its part, the House Health and Welfare Committee has approved a substitute bill for House Bill 22-77 that would establish a Health Network Program within CHCC and provide for the orderly transition of medical referral services and administration to CHCC.
This substitute bill, according to Rep. Tina Sablan, includes amendments that reflect recommendations received during “an extensive public comment period and multiple public hearings conducted on Saipan, Tinian and Rota last summer.”
