GMH undergoing surprise inspection

by Nick Delgado

Guam - With a new management team and recently confirmed/sworn-in board of trustees, the Guam Memorial Hospital is under evaluation. It's one of the first tests by the feds for the new hospital administration.

According to interim hospital administrator Rey Vega, a team from Region IX's Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services came knocking on his door Monday as part of a surprise visit to conduct a recertification survey. "It usually consists of meeting the CMS regulatory standards," Vega said. "They look at pretty much the whole operation of the hospital; I guess with emphasis on delivery of patient care and services, making sure that we are within the standard of care."

He added, "You can say in one way it means once you are certified you are entitled or eligible to receive Medicare payment."

According to Vega the last time GMH was inspected by a team from Region IX's CMS program was three years ago. He expects the team to wrap-up their unannounced inspection t by the end of this week. "We are a Joint Commission-accredited facility, we got a confirmation that we are still providing the standard of care as expected from a JCO facility, we continue and expect to continue to do that. With the CMS coming on a recertification survey that would truly validate and tell us that we are within the standard of care," he said.

Officials with the team were not available for comment.

Additionally, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services maintains oversight for compliance with the Medicare health and safety standards for laboratories, acute and continuing care providers which includes hospitals, like GMH.