GMH presenting 32-hour workweek to board

by Nick Delgado

Guam - 2011 proved to be a challenging year for the Guam Memorial Hospital. The year included a change in the board and management, visits and scathing reviews by the Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare to a shortage of supplies and medicines.  While hospital officials wait for follow up inspections to verify that they've come into compliance with regulations, GMH is still in a critical financial condition. 

Acting hospital administrator Rey Vega said, "The 32-hour workweek is being worked out yet, we want to make sure that as we do this 32-hour week we can not and should not be compromising care, so we're looking at it very seriously because it may have an adverse impact."

The proposed 32-hour workweek would only affect administrative staff and management but would result in cutting down patient registration and patient affairs. GMH expects that the reduction in hours would save the hospital more than $4,000,000 annually.  The board is expected to further discuss the proposal at their next board meeting this month.