To address the shortage of doctors at the island’s only hospital, the Department of Public Health has tasked two doctors to take turns in the emergency room on a 12-hour work schedule.
One the two doctors, who declined to be identified, said he is “overworked and underpaid.”
He said he has to cover two shifts which extended his working hours to 12 not only during weekends but also some weekdays.
But in a separate interview Dr. Florian Braig of the ears, nose and throat department said although 12 hours of work is a long time, it is still manageable.
Doctors can still attend to the patients efficiently, he said.
During their training, doctors have to work more than 12 hours, he added.
When asked about the health of the doctors themselves, Braig shrugged his shoulders and said: “It’s seems okay with the doctors.”
“I’m not saying it’s good, I never liked it, but the 12-hour shift is manageable,” he said.
Braig said the shortage of doctors is now under discussion now and there have been a lot of meetings with the administration on how to address the issue.
Thirty-one physicians are working at CHC.
There are six other doctors in the surgery and anesthesia department, and of the eight emergency doctors, four have locum, or temporary, status
There are three doctors with obstetrics and gynecology, two family doctors, three internal doctors and five pediatricians.
There are two radiologists who have locum status and an on-call nephrologist.
Acting Public Health Secretary Pete Untalan told the House Committee on Health, Education and Welfare last month that for non-urgent care, CHC was encouraging patients to go to the private providers to reduce CHC’s patient wait time.
He said CHC was also encouraging patients not to use the emergency room to address their primary healthcare needs so that physicians could tend to more urgent and emergency healthcare needs.
