Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — During a Senate Hospital/Public Health Committee hearing last Friday, LBJ Medical Center’s chief executive officer, Moefa’auo ‘Bill’ Emmsley rejected any claims that the hospital is not paying overtime for nurses, saying that it’s the law to pay overtime.

The committee hearing, chaired by Sen. Tuiasina Salamo Laumoli, followed requests from senators who wanted to hear from hospital officials the situation with nurses who walked off their jobs late last month and any other updates from the hospital.

Health Department officials were also summoned to the hearing to answer any query that senators had on public health issues.

NURSES PROTEST

Sen. Magalei Logovi’i sought an explanation from LBJ for the reason behind the nurses walking off their jobs in protest, and what solutions have been implemented to prevent this from occurring again.

Moefa’auo claimed that management was not aware that a protest by nurses would occur, and told senators that LBJ had already put in place plans to address such issues — even before nurses walked off their jobs. He says that the whole issue deals with the shortage of nurses, and this has been a longstanding matter.

He explained that based on the U.S Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Service (CMS) “requirement, we need at least 112 RN nurses” for LBJ’s 150-bed hospital.

However, there are currently only have 39 RNs, and therefore LBJ has a shortage of 73 RNs, said Moefa’auo, who reiterated that the nursing shortage is not new, especially the shortage of RNs.

Moefa’auo also said that nurses have started to “burn-out” as they don’t have enough time to rest, and it all leads back to the shortage of nurses. He stressed that the hospital’s new administration had plans in place to address this issue even before the protest.

For example, LBJ plans to increase the recruitment of nurses not only locally, but off-island, including neighboring countries such as Fiji, which has a school of medicine.

According to the CEO, about 73% of the medical personnel are from Fiji and the reason LBJ reached out to Fiji for recruitment — but not limited to Fiji, with plans to also recruit from Samoa.

Sen. Ponemafua Tapeni was not pleased with the response and told the CEO that the only reason that workers protest would be due to not getting the right pay and their overtime is not paid.

And the senator said he suspects that this is the reason for the nurses walking off their jobs, as it was in protest over salaries, said Ponemafua, who asked if any changes have been implemented to pay nurses properly.

“The short answer is, yes. It’s already completed and done,” was Moefa’auo’s reply and reiterated that this is part of a plan by the new LBJ administration.

With the new pay scale for nurses implemented, he said LBJ will now focus on doctors and then move on to “technicians and support services” personnel.

Sen. Magalei Logovi’i agreed with Moefa’auo that nursing shortage is not a new issue, as it also occurred during the time of former hospital CEO, Taufete’e John Faumuina.

But the Tualauta senator quickly pointed out that, “this is the first time that nurses” walked off their jobs and the committee wants to find out the official reason from LBJ.

Magalei asked if the nurses walked off their jobs in protest because their overtime was not paid or if it is that their pay scale is not good.

Moefa’auo acknowledged that one of the concerns from nurses is their pay scale. For overtime, Moefa’auo said that since taking over the CEO post, there was never a time that overtime was not paid, and therefore he is not clear as to what this claim is based on.

“I can go on record, [saying] there was never any overtime for nurses that I denied,” the CEO claimed. “I paid every overtime. Why? It’s the law.” Moefa’auo, again, dismissed claims that overtime was not being paid.

Responding to several follow-up questions from Magalei, the CEO noted that excess leave for nurses had also been addressed and paid, and a new pay scale for RNs and LPNs is in place, for the starting pay.

While he didn’t have on hand during the hearing any documentation of the new pay scale and other information on this matter, Moefa’auo promised to provide it to senators. He did say that the new pay hike is up about 15% from the previous pay.

Magalei also queried the number of U.S certified Medical Doctors employed at LBJ. Moefa’auo went into an explanation, but Magalei, requested, and the committee agreed, that the hospital provide a report and documentation on this issue — which should show a breakdown of Medical doctors (MDs) and Medical Officers (MOs).

There was also a request for LBJ to provide credentials of its physicians.

MRI MACHINE

Malaepule questioned the whereabouts of the MRI machine for which about a quarter-million dollars was allocated during the previous Lolo Administration.

Moefa’auo responded that LBJ cannot bring it down until repairs are completed for the room to house the MRI.

“It’s a special room.

“MRI is a magnetic resolution imaging [machine],” he explained. “It requires a stable foundation.

“It also has to be protected from radiation.

“The whole room has to be sealed with copper and right now, the staff is working in developing that room because in order for us to put the MRI there, we have to deconstruct several other places,” he pointed out.

“So, in other words, before all of that happens, other construction things have to happen first.”

CONCERNS WITH CEO COMMENTS

Another issue raised by Malaepule with the CEO was his comments published in a Samoa News story about three weeks after the FY 2023 funding bill was approved and signed into law.

Malaepule said the comments show that the CEO has no respect for the decision made by the Fono in approving the annual budget.

He reminded the CEO that operation and management of the hospital is the responsibility of the CEO, who is also responsible — along with the management — to work with the Executive Branch, including the ASG Treasury to get the hospital’s budget funds.

According to the Manu’a senator, the CEO is quoted in the newspaper as saying that while the Fono has approved the budget, there’s no funds given to the hospital.

However, Malaepule said this is not the duty or responsibility of the Fono to get the money to LBJ, but such responsibility falls on the CEO to contact the ASG Treasury and the Governor’s Office.

He reminded the CEO that the Fono’s role is to review, research and approve the Budget, but it’s the CEO who communicates with the Governor’s Office on getting its approved funds, allocated in the budget.

And to be clear, Malaepule emphasized that once the budget is approved, it’s not the Fono’s role to call on the governor to give the hospital it’s funding, that is the role and responsibility of the CEO

“To me, I am not pleased or happy with the comments you made regarding the budget for FY 2022”, he reiterated to the CEO, adding again, that such comments reflect Moefa’auo’s disrespect of the Senate and House decision.

Malaepule didn’t specify when the Samoa News story that he was referring to was published, He told Moefa’auo that he has a copy of the newspaper, which has the story he was referring in case the CEO wants proof.

A Samoa News story published Nov. 02, 2022 has Moefa’auo on record in an interview regarding the budget for Emergency Medical Service (EMS), which is now part of the American Samoa Search and Rescue Agency.

Moefaauo said when the EMS was transferred to the Search and Rescue Agency via the Governor’s Executive order last July, the transfer was only personnel and assets, not funding.

“The hospital does not operate on a paper budget, we operate on real money,” he said.

“Let me elaborate on that, when we submit a budget it’s just for the [lawmakers] to review what we’re going to spend it on and why as required by law.

“But in reality it’s what’s in the bank that matters,” the CEO stated.

On the issue of nurses walking off their jobs, Malaepule agrees with Ponemafua, that the protest is over pay scale. He told the CEO that the government’s most important asset is the workforce as they are the ones that carry out the work and they are the ones that serve the community.

CEO LATE TO HEARING

Moefaauo didn’t show up on time for the start of the nearly one-hour hearing, prompting complaints from several senators, with Malaepule the most vocal.

Malaepule noted that the CEO was not present at the start of the hearing and he rejects any claims that the CEO is delayed due to “busy traffic”.

He said the committee had already sent out the communique for the hearing and the CEO should be respectful of the time of the hearing and show up accordingly.

And the CEO being late and not present, clearly shows no respect for the committee’s request to be at the hearing and be on time, said Malaepule.

He requested postponing the hearing since it was important to have the CEO testify.

About seven minutes into the start of the hearing, and just after Malaepule’s request to postpone the hearing, the CEO arrived and the committee agreed to proceed with the hearing.

At the conclusion of the hearing, the committee agreed to call another one in the future, with LBJ officials providing the requested documents and reports.

Sen. Satele Lili’o Ali’itai also voiced his concern with the CEO being late and redirected that all witnesses be on time for the follow-up hearing, which is in the coming days.