The program, he added, should be promoted by the Department of Public Health because it will provide Rota residents access to specialists and improve healthcare on the island “without spending much.”
“If that can be extended to Rota we would be more than happy — our doctors there can do minor surgeries if we have telemedicine networking,” he told Variety.
Deputy Public Health Secretary Joseph Santos said the Commonwealth Health Center stopped its telemedicine program five years ago after its $30,000 federally funded equipment broke down.
Calvo said he will confer with other elected officials to discuss possible funding sources.
CHC’s telemedicine program. And its system was connected to Shriners Hospitals for Children in Hawaii.
Calvo said the commonwealth government cannot allocate funding for a Rota telemedicine program, but he is encouraging investors to consider funding it.
He will also ask doctors and other health professionals abroad to take their “sabbatical leave” on Rota and help its residents who need medical care.
“Under this arrangement, we can give them transportation and housing but we cannot pay them because they will be paid by their institution,” Calvo said.
A sabbatical leave allows faculty members of a medical school to conduct scholarly research or other activities that will increase their scholarly achievements or their capacity for service to the institution they are working.
Rota, Calvo said, has to upgrade its medical program as he expressed concern on what recently happened on Tinian when their only resident doctor left the island.
He said Rota has two doctors and is still trying to upgrade its health center.
