She said she is not against the idea of outsourcing, but she believes that with more training and adequate resources, the department’s billing performance will improve.
“The staff at the billing department want to show that they can do the job, and they can do the job if everything is done right. If adequate staff is there, there is no reason that they cannot do what is expected of them,” Muna said.
She said the staff at the billing department need additional resources like more personnel who will work with the computer systems to provide electronic medical records, and keep up with the other relevant functions of the department.
Acting Public Health Secretary Pete Untalan, in his 65-page reply to the House Committee on Health, Education and Welfare, said the department has only two senior staffers assigned to the billings and collections process.
Both report to the financial services administrator.
Untalan said four full-time employees for billings and collections were zero-funded in the fiscal year 2009 budget which ended last Sept. 30.
He said billings and collections need more staffers to improve the finances of the hospital.
The HEW committee and its chairman, Rep. Ralph DLG. Torres, R-Saipan, subpoenaed Public Health personnel and documents to look into mismanagement, doctor shortage, inadequate procurement practices among other issues involving the island’s only hospital.
