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Hospital CEO not optimistic about privatizing dialysis clinic

The Hospital CEO, Taufete’e Faumuina is not so optimistic about the move by Vesi, the House Health Committee Chairman, to privatize the dialysis unit, due to funding issues and the investment already made into the current Dialysis Unit.

 

The company Dialysis Service Integrity (DIS) Renal runs nine dialysis centers in Oahu, Hawai’i, and is very interested in working with the local dialysis unit according to the Chairman of the Health Committee.

 

Pliny I. Arenas, Regional Vice-President of Operations, Hawai’i Region met with some of the House committee members in June, 2015 in Honolulu to discuss ways to establish connections to help support our dialysis system here in American Samoa. According to Vesi, the meeting was well received by the DIS operational group and “also established a continuity of connections for the committee to communicate in any way possible” to help support our local dialysis unit if and when we need their support.”

 

However, the hospital CEO is asking who will pay for the 20% balance if and when the Dialysis is handed over to this company. He pointed out that 80% of the services provided to dialysis patients is paid for by Medicare. However, he asked, “who will pay the 20%? This is a private company, they make profitable investments.”

 

The CEO also made it clear that this is a hospital, where they cannot turn anyone away for medical treatment, but he’s unclear if that will be the case if a private company takes over.

 

Taufete’e also pointed out that “the decision to build here is up to the company, should they find this investment profitable.”

 

And if the local government decides to close the hospital based dialysis facility at LBJ, “that is their call, which means freeing up space for LBJ for other hospital use.” He said a majority of the dialysis patients don’t have insurance and he’s certain that will be another problem encountered by the patients if and when this private company takes over.

 

The CEO also pointed out that the Department of Interior under the Capital Improvement Projects awarded the hospital $2.2million for the current expansion of the Dialysis unit which will be open for operation soon. Taufete’e said the hospital spent $300,000 of its operation funds to purchase 14 dialysis chairs and with this expansion they will no longer need to bring down NaturaLyte Liquid Bicarbonate Concentrate. Two previous orders sent in by the Frensius Medical Care Rental Therapies Group, through Roberto's Healthcare Supplies were recalled for bacterial contamination.

 

Taufete’e said with this expansion of the Dialysis Unit, due to the increasing numbers of patients, the hospital will now have their own equipment to mix the Liquid Bicarbonate, and tubes are attached directly to each chair that the patients use for the dialysis treatment, therefore they will no longer need to order the NaturaLyte Liquid Bicarbonate.

 

“The most recent expansion should be opened as soon as the Fresinius company staff arrives to conduct training of our local staff with the mixing of the bicarbonate solutions and a visit by CMS to certify the dialysis facility.”

 

Samoa News should point out that Vesi said that the goal for the meeting with the private company “was to find ways to help our local care at LBJ, and expand their operations in resources and supplies for our dialysis patients to achieve the convenience of service to our patients that are traveling from abroad for family and business matters, and of course, a service for our Manu'a patients who had to leave home and find refuge in Tutuila for this terminal care.”