“We mean serious business in serving the community,” said Island Medical Center vice president and chief financial officer Tony Glad in an interview with the Variety.
“We are ready to start our operations at CHC as soon as we have the signed lease agreement,” he said.
Glad said the lease agreement is now being reviewed by CNMI agencies.
“We were invited to participate in setting up a clinic at CHC,” Glad said, referring to the Department of Public Health.
IMC submitted its proposal on May.
Glad, together with Dr. H. Christine Brown, IMC medical director, proposed to rent CHC space for “two to four rooms, a procedure room, two doctors’ offices and nurses station area.”
One or two medical doctors will be provided by IMC while “specialist physicians from the U.S. [mainland]” will visit the private clinic from time to time.
IMC will pay for utilities services, provision of nurses and other needs and independently bill all patients treated.
But IMC will not charge patients under CHC’s Medically Indigent Program.
“Island Medical Center will work cooperatively with CHC to determine which patients would qualify,” the private clinic stated.
Bills by MIP patients will be summarized on a monthly basis and will be deducted to “offset” rental of the facility,” IMC said.
“If the amount would go over the rental amount we would make other arrangements to cover our service,” IMC added.
CHC’s laboratory and radiology departments will be used by IMC and separate bills will be served.
More than $51,000 was stipulated as annual rent under the proposed five-year agreement between IMC and Public Health.
The agreement also requires a security deposit of $4,317.35.
IMC was shut down by the government in March 2008 for violating sanitation rules and faking laboratory test results for foreign workers.
It was reopened in Oct. 2008 after the Department of Public Health lifted the suspension order.
In Jan. 2009, IMC was sued for failing to pay rent for its leased space in Susupe and for leaving the premises in bad condition.
