LBJ “Board’s role is clear… promote LBJ to where it should rightly be”

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Chair of the Board of Directors of the LBJ Tropical Medical Center Medical Center, Dr. Malouamaua Tuiolosega, in his Mar. 16 letter to Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga, assured him that the hospital board has prioritized the areas that the governor had recommended the hospital address.

Dr. Tuiolosega thanked Governor Lemanu for the opportunity to share their board’s plan for LBJ with him and said, “I sincerely hope you will continue to provide your unconditional support to the Board and LBJ, as we move forward.”

In his letter, the chairman stated, “The Board removes itself from being judgmental or blaming; the Board’s role is clear under the law and cardinal to all — to promote LBJ to where it should rightly be.

“No doubt healthcare service for our people is a sacred ground we all cherish and must never be abandoned in spite the enormous and intrinsic challenges, we had inherited.”

While insufficient resources remain a perpetual challenge for LBJ in its never-ending quest, regrettably, past administrations have failed to appreciate the underlying culprit, poor and misguided management, which has truncated most of the real progress, the board chair said.

“To do so, it is very important that the Board’s approach is the truth. We can never go wrong with the truth, as discussed previously. It is the only way forward.

“Understand also, that the Board removes itself from being judgmental or blaming, as it will only muddle the current reality that is already muddled and delayed. At the same time the Board needs to understand everything, right and wrong, to guide reality forward,” the letter says.

Dr. Malouamaua told Lemanu that he conveyed to the Board during one of their meetings the summation of the governor’s vision and has transformed the same into priorities of policies for LBJ to pursue, which coincidental aligns with the Board’s expectation as well.

These include:

            • Re-classification of LBJ Wages, Compensation, and Pay Structure;

            • Recruit native, local, and qualified Doctors, Nurses, and Healthcare Specialists;

            • Education, Training, and Certification across the spectrum of the rank and file of LBJ Healthcare providers;

            • Integrating Technology in all aspects of LBJ’s operations;

            • Evaluating the “new” hospital concept and providing a recommendation for consideration.

A HEARING ON NURSE SHORTAGE

The issue of recruiting more doctors and nurses for LBJ is not a new issue, according to members of the LBJ Board of Directors when they appeared before the House Health committee yesterday for a hearing to discuss LBJ services for the people and how they are doing in handling all issues related to COVID-19.

Former director for the LBJ Nursing, Toaga Seumalo explained that the shortage of nurses at the LBJ is not a new problem.

According to Seumalo, this is not LBJ’s problem, “It’s the government’s problem to establish a solid foundation and plan on how to address the issue and a solution to the problem.”

The committee vice chairman who led the hearing, Rep. Logoitua’u Mark Atafua said this is not the first time this issue was discussed in chamber. He said a hearing was called by the House Health Committee last year to address the issue of the shortage of nurses at the LB J Hospital where the hospital management revealed a move to hire 20 registered nurses from the Philippines.

Logoitu’au advised the LBJ board of directors to find ways to address the problem.

BACKGROUND

Representatives from the LBJ who appeared to testify before the House Health Committee included then-LBJ CEO, Faumuina John Faumuina and Director of Nursing at LBJ, Simamao Tuatoo during a hearing last October.

At the time it was reported that the nursing shortage at LBJ Hospital was so severe that a 12-hour shift has became the norm. And if a nurse called in sick unable to relieve another who has already worked 12 hours, that nurse would have to work 24 hours.

Several faipule voiced their concerns at the time over the problems that LBJ was facing and the fact that one of the issues that contributed to the problem of the nurse shortage was the closing of borders.